HC Deb 27 May 2004 vol 421 cc1846-7W
Rev. Martin Smyth

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the average length of waiting time between diagnosis and assessment of patients requiring heart transplant was in Northern Ireland in 2003. [176254]

Angela Smith

Four out of the seven patients who underwent initial review in Belfast, were listed for transplant and underwent residential assessment in the Freeman Hospital, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Individually the time between their review and assessment was two months, less than three months, five months and six months respectively.

Rev. Martin Smyth

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps are being taken to reduce the length of time between diagnosis and assessment of patients requiring heart transplants in Northern Ireland. [176255]

Angela Smith

Heart transplants are not performed in Northern Ireland. Local patients travel to the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle-upon-Tyne for this operation. The timing of a cardiac transplant assessment for Northern Ireland patients is dependent upon the patient's clinical need, as determined by the referring consultant cardiologist in consultation with the transplant team from the Freeman Hospital. Non-urgent referrals are normally seen in the transplant assessment outreach clinic in Belfast City Hospital, which is attended by a consultant transplant physician and transplant co-ordinator three or four times a year. Urgent referrals can be assessed in the Freeman Hospital within days, depending upon the patient's clinical need.

Rev. Martin Smyth

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what provision is made for counselling of parents of children under 16 in Northern Ireland who are diagnosed as being in need of a heart transplant. [176256]

Angela Smith

Heart transplants for children under 16 are provided at two centres in the UK—the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle-upon-Tyne and Great Ormond Street hospital in London.

Counselling, support and education are provided at these centres for all children assessed as requiring a heart transplant. These services, which are provided by an experienced multi-disciplinary team of professionals, are also available to parents and carers.