New Blood and Transplant Authority proposed UK

Main Category: Transplants / Organ Donations
Article Date: 26 Jul 2004 - 11:00 PDT

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NHS UK Transplant has welcomed the Department of Health proposals announced today (Thursday 22 July 2004) to form a new Blood and Transplant Authority.

Ministers have proposed that the new body will encompass the current work of UK Transplant and the National Blood Service and follows a review of more than 42 "Arm's Length" bodies which report to the Department of Health.

Sue Sutherland, Chief Executive of UK Transplant said: "The creation of a new Blood and Transplant Authority will present us with enormous potential to further improve our services to donors, potential donors and recipients.

"Recent initiatives by UK Transplant saw the number of organ transplants in the UK reach a record high during 2003-04 and we intend to ensure that the strengths in both organisations are maximized in order to save and enhance even more lives.

"We are committed to ensuring that the new Authority builds on the excellent collaborative work in which the National Blood Service and UK Transplant are already jointly engaged."

Notes for Editors

NHS UK Transplant is the only UK-wide Special Health Authority. Its key role is to ensure that donated organs are matched and allocated in a fair and unbiased way. Our specific responsibilities include:

-- managing the National Transplant Database which includes details of all donors and patients who are waiting for, or who have received a transplant

-- providing a 24-hour service for the matching and allocation of donor organs and making the transport arrangements to get the organs to patients

-- maintaining the NHS Organ Donor Register

-- improving organ donation rates by funding initiatives in the wider NHS

-- raising public awareness of the importance of organ donation

-- contributing to the development of performance indicators, standards and protocols which guide the work of organ donation and transplantation

-- providing central support to all transplant units in the UK and Republic of Ireland

-- auditing and analysing the results of all organ transplants in the UK and the Republic of Ireland to improve patient care.

Arm's Length Bodies or ALBs, are generally national bodies that report directly into the Department of Health and carry out national functions. As a Special Health Authority within the NHS, UK Transplant is also classed as an ALB.

The review covers more than 42 ALBs (from the Commission for Health Improvement to the NHS Pensions Agency) employing around 25,000 staff with a combined budget of £4.8 billion. These ALBs conduct a range of very different tasks within the NHS.

For further information contact UK Transplant press office on 0117 975 7470 or 975 7475.

http://www.uktransplant.org.uk

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