Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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547. To ask the Minister for Health if the Health Service Executive has, to date, appointed surgeons to carry out pancreas transplants in Beaumont Hospital in Dublin 9; the steps the Executive has taken, to date, to reduce the waiting times for patients awaiting these transplants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36009/15]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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In recent months St Vincent’s University Hospital has been collaborating with Beaumont Hospital in relation to the transfer of pancreas transplantation to St Vincent's. 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. The arrangements being put in place will involve transplant surgeons from both St Vincent’s University Hospital and Beaumont Hospital working together on the St Vincent’s campus. The two hospitals, together with the HSE and my Department, are putting the necessary arrangements and protocols in place to facilitate the commencement of pancreas transplantation in St Vincent’s University Hospital in the coming weeks, should a suitable donor/recipient match occur.

Interviews were held recently for consultant transplant surgeons and it is expected that two surgeons will commence work at St Vincent’s University Hospital in January 2016 to support the pancreatic transplant programme. St. Vincent’s University Hospital has also established a link with the pancreas transplant programme in Edinburgh's Royal Infirmary Hospital to provide oversight of the transfer of the pancreas transplant service.

The deceased donor transplant programme is dependent on the availability of suitable donors who can be matched with recipients. My Department and the HSE continue to work to improve organ donation and transplantation rates with the aim of reducing waiting times for patients.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.