Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The consultant who carried out pancreas transplants at Beaumont Hospital took early retirement at the end of 2014. Given the limited number of surgeons who specialise in transplantation, the filling of such vacancies poses a challenge. While Beaumont Hospital is making every effort to recruit a suitable replacement, it is also collaborating with St. Vincent's University Hospital on a combined approach to kidney and pancreas transplants. It is proposed that pancreas transplants, of which six were performed in 2014, will be carried out in St. Vincent's University Hospital.The two hospitals, together with Organ Donation and Transplant Ireland, ODTI, which is part of the HSE, and my Department, are working to make arrangements to facilitate the commencement of this work as soon as possible.

Most pancreas transplants are combined with a kidney transplant. These cases will involve transplant surgeons from St. Vincent’s University Hospital and Beaumont Hospital working together in St. Vincent’s University Hospital. In addition to working with St. Vincent’s University Hospital in a combined approach to kidney and pancreas transplants, Beaumont Hospital is collaborating with it in the development of an intra-abdominal organ retrieval service that will facilitate a more effective and cohesive overall procurement and transplant service.

In May Beaumont Hospital wrote to all patients who had received a pancreas transplant, in addition to all patients on the transplant waiting list. It has also written to all referring consultants. At this point, all pancreas transplant recipients have been seen by clinicians in Beaumont Hospital or have appointments in place. Future pathways of care are being discussed with all patients at these meetings.

A joint assessment clinic for the eight patients waiting for a pancreas transplant, involving consultants and nurses from Beaumont Hospital and St. Vincent's University Hospital, will be held on 24 July. Management and clinical staff at the hospitals are committed to ensuring an optimal service will be put in place for the long-term benefit of those in need of pancreas transplants. As St Vincent’s University Hospital is already established as the national liver transplant centre and is a designated centre for pancreas cancer services, it is well placed to undertake pancreas transplants. Every effort is being made to have all of the necessary arrangements and protocols in place to facilitate St. Vincent's University Hospital to be in a position to undertake pancreas transplants from mid-September should there be a suitable donor-recipient match.

Additional funding of almost €3 million has been provided to facilitate the development of the most appropriate infrastructure to support organ donation and transplantation. This will facilitate the appointment of 19 whole-time-equivalent staff dedicated to organ donation and transplantation across the country. Included in this number are five organ procurement co-ordinators who have been appointed and six organ donation nurse managerswho will be in postin each of the hospital groups by the end of August.

I recognise all of the families who have facilitated the donation of the organs of their loved ones, often to the benefit of several recipients. I reiterate my commitment to enhance organ donation and transplantation rates for the benefit of patients and their families.