Roy J Thomas Chair of Kidney Wales praised Edwina Hart the Health Minister who officially opened The Cardiff Transplant Unit this week at the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff.
Mr Thomas said ” As a Minister she has led from the front. The NHS was arguing internally about this Unit three years ago, without the Minister intervening it would not have happened. Ministers do not get praise but kidney patients have enjoyed a special relationship with Mrs Hart who understands their needs as she has listened and then acted upon them.She has been successful in bringing this project forward.We thank her and give praise to where it is due”.

The £4.2million Welsh Assembly Government-funded development will increase the number of transplants from 90 per year to up to 160 per year by 2012 – depending on organ donation rates.

In an effort to increase organ donation rates, the Assembly Government has invested £1.5million to implement the recommendations of the Organ Donation Taskforce.

It will be for the next Assembly Government to consider whether further measures are introduced to increase organ donation rates in Wales.

The purpose-built 21-bed centre includes 11 single en-suite rooms and three four-bedded rooms. Being located in the new tower for specialised services will allow easy access to theatre facilities and the £16.5million Assembly Government-funded Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scanner.

Mrs Hart said: “This new centre will increase the number of kidney transplants that can take place every year. A new kidney will dramatically improve the quality of life of individuals and will mean they will no longer have to spend hours – and in some cases days – a week having kidney dialysis.

“The success of the centre does rely upon the number of organs available and that is why we are working to increase the number of organs available”.
Roy J Thomas Chair of Kidney Wales praised Edwina Hart the Health Minister who officially opened The Cardiff Transplant Unit this week at the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff.
Mr Thomas said " As a Minister she has led from the front. The NHS was arguing internally about this Unit three years ago, without the Minister intervening it would not have happened. Ministers do not get praise but kidney patients have enjoyed a special relationship with Mrs Hart who understands their needs as she has listened and then acted upon them.She has been successful in bringing this project forward.We thank her and give praise to where it is due".

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