Examination of Witnesses (Questions 380
- 382)
THURSDAY 13 MARCH 2008
Mr Peter Lemmey
Q380 Chairman: Is that why
you think that there would be a useful exchange of information
across Europe? We have already learned from a number of other
countries about the value of exchanging information. It underpins
some of the issues you have just been describing. You mentioned
the need for that exchange of information, and then you have described
some of the issues. How could they be shared across Europe and
taken forward?
Mr Lemmey: I think it is particularly in the
area that you mentioned earlier about the management of organisation
of transplant services within hospitals: but there is also another
aspect which the Authority would see as important, and again,
has been raised in the initial work of the task force, and that
is attempting to make organ donation, organ transplantation, a
more everyday process, something which comes to mind for professionals
and staff working in hospitals as not being a particularly unusual
or exceptional process but being one that is almost an everyday
activity, the way in which I think in other countries there may
have been progress in that area, and again, if that sort of information
can be shared, its sharing will then help the implementation of
those task force recommendations, which we think are a very important
step in improving the numbers of transplants in this country.
Q381 Lord Trefgarne: You have
said that your Authority do not at this moment have a position
on whether or not we should move to presumed consent but, if Ministers
were minded to move in that direction, they would presumably ask
the Authority for advice and you would have to form a view at
that point.
Mr Lemmey: I think that is right, and perhaps
even if we were not asked, we nonetheless would provide it.
Q382 Lord Trefgarne: Would
that then become public? Advice to Ministers is generally not
public.
Mr Lemmey: I think that would depend. I certainly
cannot say that it would definitely become public.
Lord Trefgarne: It might leak!
Chairman: Can we say thank you very much indeed.
There is never enough time to get all the details but, as we said
earlier, if there are things you think we have not had in enough
detail on the questions we have asked you, we would be very grateful
if you could just follow up in writing. We have found your answers
extremely helpful and detailed, and one or two leads that have
been very important to us. Thank you very much for joining us.
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