§ Tim LoughtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost to the NHS was of liver transplants in the last 12 months. [53290]
632W
§ Jacqui SmithThe liver transplant service is a national service commissioned by the national specialist commissioning group (NSCAG) on behalf of the national health service. In the last financial year (2001–02) NSCAG allocated £33,549,549 to the service.
§ Tim LoughtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many liver transplants he estimates will be required in(a) the current year and (b) in five years' time. [53288]
§ Jacqui SmithIt is difficult to estimate the total potential demand for liver transplants. However, the median waiting time for a transplant for adults is only 60 days. At the end of March this year there were only 131 English residents on the waiting list and each year some 550 to 600 transplants are performed on English residents depending on the availability of suitable organs. The number of transplants performed in the current year should fall within the same range.
§ Tim LoughtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many liver transplants have taken place in each of the last five years. [53291]
§ Jacqui SmithThe total number of liver transplants (adults and children) performed by the designated units in England in each of the last five years is:
Number 1997–98 547 1998–99 568 1999–2000 590 2000–01 549 2001–02 555