NHS kidney apology

Mar 7 2012 by Helen Hunt, Heswall News

THE NHS has apologised to a Wirral transplant patient who contracted cancer from an infected donated kidney.

Robert Law, 59, of Rock Ferry was given a life-saving kidney in an operation at the Royal Liverpool Hospital.

But he was later told the organ came from a donor suffering from a rare and aggressive form of cancer.

The NHS Blood and Transplant authority (NHSBT) has now apologised unreservedly and said the cause of the mistake was “human error” by a specialist nurse working at an undisclosed hospital.

But while welcoming the apology dad-of-four Mr Law said he still wants answers about how he was given an infected organ.

After enduring extensive chemotherapy he is in remission and has instructed solicitors with a view to having the full facts of his case made public.

Mr Law said: “Revealing how this was allowed to happen would ensure medical professionals can learn from the mistakes made and ensure better care in future.

“I also strongly feel the NHS trusts involved should publish a comprehensive report stating what measures were taken to minimise the risk of a tragic reoccurrence.”

Mr Law had suffered from chronic kidney disease for five years and was on the kidney transplant list when he underwent the operation in 2010.

He launched a legal claim in March last year and said he found it hard to believe one nurse was at fault.

He said: “My feelings go out to that nurse. My understanding was a full team was involved.”

Sue Taylor, his solicitor at JMW, .”

The NHSBT said the authority had admitted some “liability” but legal proceedings were ongoing and compensation still had to be agreed.