Good news for transplant patients (and their families) living on the Isle of Wight .
OnTheWight has been looking into the travel arrangements for those patients who might have to travel across the Solent for an organ transplant.
NHS Blood and Transplant have confirmed that anyone on the Isle of Wight who is waiting for an organ transplant and receives a call from their transplant co-ordinator, will be given plenty of time and the necessary support to make the journey to the mainland in time.
Patients given 8-18 hours to arrive
A senior renal nurse from the Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth has confirmed that transplant patients are given between 8-18 hours from the time of the call, to needing to be at the hospital.
They explained that although it’s very rare for them to call a transplant patient in the middle of the night, if they did, all the necessary help with transport such as taxis, ambulance and sometimes even the helicopter would be arranged.
Detailed planning
A spokesperson from NHS Blood and Transplant, said,
“Travel plans from the Island to the transplant hospital would be sorted out by the patient and the transplant unit.
“This will all be discussed in their listing for transplant and whilst sometimes this will be urgent to move the patient, there will be planning with the donation team, transplant team and patient to make sure that they can make it to the transplant hospital.”
The service also confirmed that no Isle of Wight patients would miss the opportunity of an organ transplant simply due to ferries not running.
