Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

554. To ask the Minister for Health the number of persons awaiting pancreatic transplants, and the number of persons who are post-transplant; his views that it is appropriate that nephrologists will now be taking over pancreatic care; when the proposed pancreatic transplant surgeon will be in place; his views that the nursing staff in Saint Vincent's Hospital in Dublin 4 have the expertise or the capacity to deal with such cases; if he is satisfied with the advice offered to seriously immuno-suppressed patients to attend emergency departments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28477/15]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Eight patients are currently on the active waiting list, 5 are awaiting a simultaneous pancreas and kidney transplant and 3 are awaiting a pancreas only transplant. Of the 78 patients who have received a pancreas transplant, 28 are currently being reviewed in the Beaumont transplant clinic and the remainder are being managed by their consultant nephrologist.

It is normal practice that nephrologists take over the post-transplant clinical care of patients who they would have referred for a pancreas transplant. Nephrologists utilise the referral process back to the transplant surgeons at Beaumont Hospital if clinically appropriate. The transplant clinic will remain at Beaumont Hospital for all kidney and pancreas patients that have had their transplant procedure carried out at Beaumont Hospital.

The consultant who undertook pancreas transplants at Beaumont Hospital retired at the end of 2014. While Beaumont Hospital is making every effort to recruit a suitable replacement, the hospital is also collaborating with St. Vincent’s University Hospital in relation to a combined approach to kidney/pancreas transplants. It is proposed that pancreas transplants, of which 6 were performed in 2014, will move to St. Vincent’s University Hospital. As St. Vincent’s 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. Most pancreas transplants are combined with a kidney transplant. The arrangements being put in place for such cases will involve transplant surgeons from St. Vincent’s University Hospital and Beaumont Hospital working together on the St. Vincent’s campus.

If a transplant patient under the care of Beaumont Hospital encounters problems, they contact the renal registrar via Beaumont Hospital's switch board. If this occurs during day time, they may be asked to present to the renal day ward for assessment. If the renal registrar is contacted by a patient out of hours, he/she will be advised to present to the Emergency Department where the patient will be assessed by the Emergency Department staff and also reviewed by the renal registrar, and/or the consultant nephrologist, if required. In addition, the patient can contact the transplant coordinators at Beaumont Hospital for guidance.