On 7 July 2020 Dr Mike Stephens, Consultant Transplant Surgeon at the University Hospital of Wales, hosted a question and answer (Q&A) session on the Kidney Wales Community Facebook Group to provide the latest information on the transplant programme.
The guidance provided is very general. If you have doubts or questions, please speak to your kidney team who know you, your condition and your personal circumstances and will be able to give you the best individualised advice.
The key messages from the session were:
• Transplantation was severely affected by the Coronavirus outbreak: deceased donor numbers fell; staffing levels have been disrupted; and the risks related to transplants and immunosuppression have changed.
• From the March-May, virtually all transplants were put on hold across the UK for anything other than emergencies.
• New safety measures have been put in place to ensure transplants can happen safely: transplant centres have changed the way they are set up; exceptional levels of care with infection prevention and control have been introduced on wards; and rapid Coronavirus testing for donors and recipients is now available.
• Cardiff, Liverpool, Manchester and Bristol transplant centres are now open for deceased donors.
• No live donor transplants are taking place at present but there are plans to start again over the coming weeks and months.
• Transplant centres haven’t opened to everybody: lower risk patients will be contacted first.
• It is important for each individual to understand your options, risks and benefits, ask questions of your healthcare team, and then make an informed choice about what is right for you in your personal circumstances. Please talk to your healthcare team about questions regarding your individual circumstances.
• Until there is a vaccine or an effective treatment, the only thing we can do is to avoid getting Coronavirus. Hand washing remains vital in preventing the spread of infection.
• From the March-May, virtually all transplants were put on hold across the UK for anything other than emergencies.
• New safety measures have been put in place to ensure transplants can happen safely: transplant centres have changed the way they are set up; exceptional levels of care with infection prevention and control have been introduced on wards; and rapid Coronavirus testing for donors and recipients is now available.
• Cardiff, Liverpool, Manchester and Bristol transplant centres are now open for deceased donors.
• No live donor transplants are taking place at present but there are plans to start again over the coming weeks and months.
• Transplant centres haven’t opened to everybody: lower risk patients will be contacted first.
• It is important for each individual to understand your options, risks and benefits, ask questions of your healthcare team, and then make an informed choice about what is right for you in your personal circumstances. Please talk to your healthcare team about questions regarding your individual circumstances.
• Until there is a vaccine or an effective treatment, the only thing we can do is to avoid getting Coronavirus. Hand washing remains vital in preventing the spread of infection.
You are advised to wear a mask when you are out of the house and in any area where a social distance cannot be maintained. Request a mask from Kidney Wales here!
Links to further information:
• Coronavirus guidance for people with kidney disease, produced by Kidney Care UK.
• Welsh Government guidance on shielding
• Coronavirus: Work and financial support
• Welsh Government guidance on education, childcare and Coronavirus
• How are you doing? Public Health Wales guidance on staying well at home