HSE denies suspension of donor programme

THE Health Service Executive (HSE) has dismissed reports that a living donor related transplant programme was suspended six months after it began at Beaumont Hospital in Dublin.

Yesterday, a spokesman for the HSE said he had been assured by hospital authorities, as recently as late last week, that the programme was extant and would achieve its target of 15 transplants for 2007.

However, a report that the programme was put on hold is being investigated by the Health and Children Minister, Mary Harney.

Yesterday, the minister said she was seeking an urgent explanation from Beaumont Hospital following media reports that the programme at the hospital has been suspended.

The minister said she had identified the development of the programme as a service priority in 2006 and the appropriate funding had been put in place.

Three additional consultant posts have been approved by the HSE for the programme which has been fully funded.

Beaumont Hospital, which is the national centre for kidney transplants, has to date performed eight living related transplants arising from the policy initiative.

A target of 15 transplants has been set and agreed for this year, and the HSE said it had been assured those targets would be met.

The hospital, the minister said, was expanding its theatre capacity to support the extension of the programme. On this basis, and having regard to the activity levels undertaken to date and those planned for 2007, the minister and the HSE expressed concern by any suggestion of a suspension of this programme. Last week, it was disclosed that Dublin’s Beaumont Hospital have written to patients saying they have suspended the living kidney transplant programme just six months after it began.

Patients were told the move was the result of a lack of resources.

Yesterday, the HSE said it was committed to the programme and denied it had been suspended.