Renal Dialysis

Oral Answers to Questions — Social Services – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 3 June 1980.

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Photo of Mr Tam Dalyell Mr Tam Dalyell , West Lothian 12:00, 3 June 1980

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the most recent figures he has conveniently available for the costs of a patient on renal dialysis; and what figures he has conveniently available for the costs of a kidney transplant.

Photo of Mr Patrick Jenkin Mr Patrick Jenkin , Redbridge Wanstead and Woodford

The capital cost of a kidney machine and associated equipment is approximately £6,000. The annual running costs for a patient on dialysis can be as much as £8,000 if he is treated at home, and £12,500 if he is treated in hospital. The cost of a kidney transplant and subsequent treatment during the first year varies greatly according to the type of treatment and the success of the operation, but it is likely on average to be about £5,000.

Photo of Mr Tam Dalyell Mr Tam Dalyell , West Lothian

Do those figures mean that if significantly more matching tissue was available that would shorten waiting lists, ease suffering, and help the scarce resources of the Health Service?

Photo of Mr Patrick Jenkin Mr Patrick Jenkin , Redbridge Wanstead and Woodford

That is right. I hope that more and more people will use the new kidney card system that was launched last week by my hon. Friend the Minister for Health so that in the event of an accident it will be possible for their kidneys to be made available for transplant purposes. These cards are now widely available, and I hope that the hon. Gentleman's persistence in this mattter—which I greatly applaud—will lead the public to make more and more use of them.

Photo of Mr Alf Morris Mr Alf Morris , Manchester Wythenshawe

Is the Minister aware of the estimate that over 1,000 people will die this year from kidney failure, simply because of inadequate staffing? What urgent action is the Secretary of State taking to tackle this problem? If the Government can give huge sums in tax cuts to the fit and fortunate, how can they possibly deny a lifeline to people who are desperately ill and in need?

Photo of Mr Patrick Jenkin Mr Patrick Jenkin , Redbridge Wanstead and Woodford

We should not be too apologetic for the progress that has been made in recent years to enable additional numbers of people to receive the benefit of renal services. Between 1971 and 1978 the number of patients starting treatment annually rose from 589 to 1,156, and the number of transplants, including live donors, rose from 318 to 930. The number of patients on renal replacement therapy—functioning transplants, kidney machines, peritoneal dialysis—rose from 1,816 at 31 December 1971, to 5,273 at 31 December 1978. That was an average rise of about 16 per cent. a year. If we are to do more—and we all want to do better—the nation must first earn the resources to pay for it. That is what the Government's strategy is all about.

Photo of Mr Gwilym Roberts Mr Gwilym Roberts , Cannock

Does the Secretary of State agree that while the new kidney card system is welcome, the whole system could be made more efficient and be revolutionised if a central computerised bank of donors were made available? That would eliminate many of the existing problems.

Photo of Mr Patrick Jenkin Mr Patrick Jenkin , Redbridge Wanstead and Woodford

I am aware of the proposals in that regard. However, such a system would be very expensive to set up. In 1978–79, the estimated costs of setting up such a system were put at £5 million, and it would cost £1½ million a year to run and keep up to date. I suggest that it might be valuable only if we were to use the system advocated by the hon. Member for West Lothian (Mr. Dalyell)—an opting-out system. That raises difficult, sensitive and emotive questions, which no doubt will continue to be debated.

Photo of Mr Donald Stewart Mr Donald Stewart , Na h-Eileanan an Iar

In view of the Secretary of State's desire to make more money available for those benefits, and since the EEC is permitting Britain to keep some of its own money, will he say that he will seek to divert some of that money to these benefits?

Photo of Mr Patrick Jenkin Mr Patrick Jenkin , Redbridge Wanstead and Woodford

As the Minister in charge of a major spending Department, I wish that that were right, but no extra money will come back to Britain until the next calendar year. The overriding nature of the Government's obligation to reduce the public sector borrowing requirement must take precedence. We have published our public spending programmes for four years ahead, and our highest priority is to stick to them.