~ €8.5m investment to expand Renal Transplant programme ~
~ €6m investment in outpatient Renal Dialysis Unit ~
~ Expansion will see savings of approx. €250 million over a 10 year period ~
~Expansion to lead first active collaboration under Dublin North Hospital Group banner~
Dr. James Reilly TD, Minister for Health today (Monday, 10th June, 2013) announced an investment of €14.5million and the creation of 30 new jobs as part of a phased expansion of the renal care facilities at Dublin’s Beaumont and Connolly Hospitals.
The investment includes €8.5m on the expansion of the living donor transplant programme and the development of existing operating, ward and laboratory facilities to accommodate the expansion. This is a major step towards achieving the aim of the annual performance of 250 kidney transplants from both deceased and live donor transplant programmes.
Minister Reilly also confirmed an added investment of €6m in a new, 34 stationed, outpatient Renal Dialysis Unit, increasing capacity for provision of renal dialysis to outpatients at Beaumont by 55%.
The expansion of the National Transplant Programme will result in a reduction of waiting list times and a reduction of the need for long term dialysis. This will accrue savings of approximately €250 million over a 10 year period.
In conjunction with the announcement, Beaumont Hospital has also launched a new website
www.beaumontkidneycenter.iewhere potential living kidney donors and recipients can start the process of living donor evaluation.
In addition to the redevelopment of facilities at Beaumont, the investment incorporates further development of Urology services at Connolly Hospital. This will enable the two hospitals to prioritise and plan the deployment of resources on a shared basis. This is a prime example of how the recently announced Hospital Groups framework can enable two major hospitals to work together to achieve improved health outcomes for patients in a region.
Dr. James Reilly TD, Minister for Health said: "The investment into the National Transplant Programme and expansion of the living donor programme is a great example of how resources can be focused in a targeted way to ensure that we are not only responding to public needs, but that we are doing so in an integrated, efficient and cost effective manner to achieve maximum output. This is entirely in keeping with Government plans for the overall reform of the health service in Ireland as outlined in the Programme for Government"
Professor Peter Conlon, Consultant Nephrologist, Beaumont Hospital today said: "We are delighted to have successfully secured funding for the development of the national renal transplant programme in Beaumont Hospital. Increasing transplants to 250 per year is a major step forward in transforming the treatment of kidney failure in Ireland. We are constantly striving to provide the best care and service in a safe environment for our patients and the Living Donor Programme can offer patients a second chance at living a healthy and happy life. Kidney transplantation provides the best quality of life for patients with kidney failure, more than doubles their life expectancy compared to remaining on dialysis and in the process, each kidney transplant saves the state in excess of €750 thousand euros over the life time of the transplant."
Mr Liam Duffy, CEO, Beaumont Hospital said "this welcome investment in an expansion of national and regional renal services is a very significant boost for Beaumont. It comes at a time when we can report significant reductions in the number of patients awaiting long-term care and major improvements in the responsiveness of our ED. Those achievements underpin our determination to provide safe quality care to the local and national population; They come from sustained effort within both the Hospital and the wider healthcare community, allied with the support of the Department of Health through the SDU. We look forward to further improvement and further investment in key national programme areas over the coming months".
Beaumont Hospital has performed close to 4,000 kidney transplants over the last 40 years. In 2012, the transplant unit in Beaumont Hospital achieved 163 kidney transplants.
ENDS
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About Beaumont Hospital
Beaumont Hospital is a large academic teaching hospital which employs approximately 3,000 staff with has 820 beds. The Hospital provides emergency and acute care services across 54 medical specialties to a local community of some 290,000 people. In addition, the Hospital is a designated Cancer Centre and the Regional Treatment Centre for Ear, Nose and Throat, and Gastroenterology. Beaumont is also the National Referral Centre for Neurosurgery and Neurology, Renal Transplantation, and Cochlear Implantation. St. Joseph's Hospital, Raheny, is under the management of Beaumont Hospital Board since 2004. St. Joseph's is an acute Hospital providing both Medical and Surgical in-patient care, Day Care Services, Outpatient Physiotherapy and Radiology services.
About National Renal Transplant Programme
Patients with kidney failure who have the good fortune to live in Ireland have access to a number of treatment options including home peritoneal dialysis, home haemodialysis, in-centre haemodialysis; deceased donor kidney transplantation or live donor transplantation. Kidney transplantation is without question the best treatment for almost all patients with kidney failure. Many patients receiving a live donor kidney transplant can reasonably expect their transplant to function for in excess of 40 years which mostly means for the rest of their life.
Patients who are in need of a kidney transplant and have a potential living kidney donor should discuss this with their kidney specialist who will advise them if they are suitable for this treatment. It is anticipated that once the programme is fully implemented the Beaumont Transplant team will be able to deliver a live donor kidney transplant within 16 weeks of the donor presenting. Access to such a programme will transform the lives of patients with kidney failure