§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make an assessment of the latest convenient figures of the shortage of facilities for patients waiting for kidney and liver transplants.
§ Mr. John PattenThe only information available centrally on need for kidney and liver transplants is the number of patients registered with the United Kingdom transplant service. On 18 February, 2,626 patients were registered as waiting for kidney transplants and nine for liver transplants. The factor that has been limiting the expansion of kidney transplantation has only been the availability of donor kidneys, although that has increased significantly since our donor card campaign began in February 1984. In the nine months immediately following the campaign, 35 per cent. more kidneys were transplanted than in the same period in 1983.
Liver transplantation is a more recently established service and its designation as a supra regional service was announced in January. In 1985–86 £2£3 million will be set aside for this service, £884,000 of it additional central funds to enable the level of provision to be expanded. Forty-nine liver transplants were performed in 1984 and we expect the 1985 total to show a significant increase.