NHS admits clinical negligence over kidney transplants

The NHS has admitted clinical negligence after two transplant patients were given kidneys that had been taken from a donor who was suffering from an aggressive and rare form of cancer.

Compensation has yet to be agreed for Robert Law and Gillian Smart, who have received apologies from NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) after the incident, which happened at the Royal Liverpool University hospital.

The donor had died at another hospital and the organs were transferred to the medical facility in Merseyside before operations took place on Mr Law and Miss Smart.

Lynda Hamlyn, chief executive of NHSBT, admitted the surgeries would not have taken place if the doctor had been aware of the full information regarding the donor’s cancer.

Mr Law argued it needs to be publicised how this was allowed to happen, adding: “I also feel strongly that the NHS trusts involved should publish a comprehensive report stating what measures have been taken to minimise the risk of a tragic recurrence.

“NHSBT recently called for organ donation to be a routine part of end-of-life care in the UK.