PEOPLE LIKE US COUNCIL LAUNCHED BY EDWINA HART

The People Like Council was launched on Tuesday 23 of september 2008 by the Health Minister Edwina Hart AM with Allison John the Chair and Roy J Thomas of KW.

Allison outlined the success of the PLUS Campaign which led to the Council and outlined the success with a new dedicated transplant unit announced; more diaysis stations being planned across Wales;a successful organ donation campaign Tell a Loved One ongoing; and consultation into presumed consent for Wales.

The Minister Edwina Hart praised patients in setting up the Council.

Present was the Chief Medical officer Tony Jewell and Deputy Mike Harmer.

BBC NEWS | Wales | South West Wales | Local dialysis service announced

BBC NEWS | Wales | South West Wales | Local dialysis service announced


Kidney patients in west Wales have been told from the end of the year they will no longer have to travel to Carmarthen or Swansea for dialysis.

Interim services will be available at Withybush Hospital in Haverfordwest until a permanent renal unit opens in three year's time.

Health Minister Edwina Hart said the move would improve patient care.

Currently some patients in west Wales needing dialysis regularly travel over 80 miles to access services.

Ms Hart said: "I am committed to improving access to renal services across Wales.

"Currently, patients have to travel to Carmarthen and Swansea several times a week for dialysis which can be very draining.

"The new interim facilities, which should be in place by the end of the year, will improve the care for patients and reduce the need to travel which will help improve their health and quality of life."

TRANSPLANT UNIT SUCCESS - PRAISE FOR ALL AND NOW WE NEED THIS TO BE WORLD CLASS

The News yesterday that a dedicated Transplant Unit is now announced is great news and we pay tribute to the Minister for Health Edwina Hart and the health professionals to achieve this key objective of our Campaign.

Everyone has been working hard to acheieve this in recent months and we now have a great opportunity of creating world class facility.

The Business Justification Case (BJC) for the Development of a Renal Transplant Centre at UHW received Cardiff and Vale NHS Trust Board approval at its meeting on 6th December 2007. The BJC has also been cleared by Health Commission Wales, South East Wales Regional Office and the Capital, Estates and Facilities Branch of the Department of Health and Social Services.

The BJC demonstrates that the development of a Transplant Centre is the only viable solution for the continuation of this service which would comprise 21 transplant and chronic renal failure surgical beds, (11 new beds and 10 beds transferred from ward B5, UHW) and associated renal outpatient facilities. This development is needed to overcome both capacity and environmental issues and also to meet the standards of care included in guidance in the Renal National Service Framework (NSF).

The needs assessment analysis indicates a 10 – 15% annual growth in activity and shows that the Trust is unable to provide a clinically effective and viable service within its existing facilities given this growth in demand along with the advent of new treatments which will enable more people to become eligible for transplants over the next few years.

The preferred option identified in the BJC is to develop a Renal Transplant Centre, including co-located outpatient facilities located on two floors of a tower block (Tower Block 3) to be constructed above the current PET development, at UHW. The Trust has contracted to build the seven floor Tower Block 3, plus basement, of which PET currently accounts for the basement, ground and first floors. The PET element of the building work is funded by the Assembly Government.
The Trust is proposing to locate the Renal Transplant Unit on floors 2 and 3 thereby providing excellent clinical adjacencies to existing renal services. These floors will also be funded by the Assembly Government. Proceeding as an extension to the existing PET contract represents a highly cost effective solution.

This would realise a number of benefits in relation to increased capacity and an enhanced environment as the accommodation would be designed to modern standards with an appropriate percentage of single en-suite rooms to assist with the prevention of infection and to meet patient expectations in regard to privacy and dignity.

This option would also ensure the reputation of renal transplant services as a ‘Centre of Excellence’ and would support the consolidation and expansion of both tertiary and local provision so that a transplant service can be offered to patients on an all Wales basis.

Whilst the preferred option offers a cost effective solution in terms of time and cost, the construction period for the completion of the works cannot be undertaken in less than 22 months. As additional capacity is required as soon as possible the BJC outlines transitional arrangements to support the service until the final option can be fully implemented.

The first phase proposes that a 4 bed ward is created in accommodation not currently utilised on the UHW site to provide capacity for haemodialysis patients currently accommodated on Ward B5. This would then create additional transplant and renal surgery capacity and would allow for up to 115 transplants per year. These beds could be available by March/April 2008. The revenue cost for this is £2.41million

During the period 2010/12 the Trust would undertake up to 140 transplants per year and this would be Phase 2 of the development. This phase would require 16 beds and the revenue cost would be £4.40million.

Phase 3 would require the full 21 beds to be available by 2012 and would allow for up to 160 transplants per year at a revenue cost of £5.85million.

The capital cost for the development is £4.27million.
renal facilities in Wales.