The Minister for Health Leo Varadkar has claimed that a pancreas transplant programme will be put in place at both the Beaumont and St Vincent’s Hospitals this September.
Mr Varadkar has said he has revived full assurances from management at both hospitals that the programme will definitely be put in place. The news comes after a petition was handed in to Beaumont Hospital recently which called on the hospital not to abandon patients currently awaiting pancreas transplants. It is understood that the current transplant programme has been temporarily suspended after the head consultant over pancreas transplants Dr David Hickey recently announced his retirement.
Mr Varadkar claimed that he would meet the key partners over the next few days to discuss Mr Hickey’s replacement. Mr Varadkar added: “There is obviously a concern out there…(so) I’m going to seek assurances that it’s going to happen,”