Dr Kesh Baboolal

Consultant Nephrologist and Transplant Physician at the University Hospital of Wales

Living-donor transplants sector

“As a nephrologist, I form professional relationships with patients with kidney disease. You take them through many stages in their lives and help them face the challenges of kidney failure. As a transplant physician I help patients and their families explore the opportunities that kidney transplantation offers.

“Kidney transplantation enables patients to have a better quality of life and longer life, but it requires organ donors. The Human Tissue Act and the HTA help us to find the right balance between the needs of the patient with kidney failure and the needs of the organ donor. They give everyone confidence in the system: clinicians, organ donors, recipients and families. The HTA’s been excellent. It’s tackled complex issues around organ donation without creating extra barriers or over-complicating things. The system is better now that it was previously.

“The transplant community is always exploring new ways of making transplants happen. Thanks to the HTA, we are able to offer paired transplants, which can overcome some of the biological barriers to transplantation. In the past there has been an element of fear that has prevented this kind of innovative treatment, but as it is now regulated by the HTA, everyone can have confidence in the system.”