Yesterday, evidence gathering sessions were held online. These witness evidence sessions are an important part of our ongoing inquiry into health inequalities in transplant and transfusion treatments.

The sessions were chaired by Sarah Olney MP on behalf of the APPG and held virtually on Zoom.

The sessions featured a panel of distinguished witnesses (see below), and their collective expertise is helping to illuminate the current state of organ, blood, and stem cell donation in the UK, particularly as it pertains to the needs and experiences of our diverse communities.

The sessions featured a panel of distinguished witnesses (see below), and their collective expertise is helping to illuminate the current state of organ, blood, and stem cell donation in the UK, particularly as it pertains to the needs and experiences of our diverse communities.

The sessions underline our belief in “doing the doing” – in using this enquiry, not just as an exploration, but as a catalyst for change.

We are very grateful to everyone who has submitted evidence for this inquiry, and in particular to our witnesses for their time and commitment to this important cause.

Click on the following links to access video recordings of Witness Evidence sessions:

Click here to watch video recording of evidence session 1 

Session 1 (10am – 11am)
Outlining the problem

Orin Lewis OBE, CEO, African Caribbean Leukaemia Trust

Gurch Randhawa PhD FFPH DL, Professor of Diversity in Public Health & Director, Institute for Health Research University of Bedfordshire

Michele Salter, CPFA (Hons), Chair of Trustees & Treasurer, Sickle Cell Society UK

Delordson Kallon, PhD., FIBMS, FRCPath, Consultant Clinical Scientist and Specialty Clinical Lead for Transplantation,NHS East and South East London Pathology Partnership Barts Health NHS Trust, Honorary Senior Lecturer, Queen Mary University of London (QMUL)

Rajesh Sivaprakasam MBBS, MRCS, M.Phil ( Cambridge), FICRS, FACS, FRCS
Consultant in Transplant, Access and General Surgery,  Lead for Robotic renal failure Surgery, Research and Education, Chair for Bartshealth Robotic research programme.

Click here to watch video recording of evidence session 2

Session 2 (11:30am – 12:30pm)
Current provision and issues

Gail Miflin, Chief Medical Officer and Director of Clinical Services, NHS Blood and Transplant

David Rose, Director of Donor Experience and Communications, NHS Blood and Transplant

Henny Braund, CEO, Anthony Nolan

Professor Smeeta Sinha, National Clinical Director for Renal Services, NHS England

Professor John Snowden BSc, MBChB, MD, FRCP (London), FRCP (Edin), FRCPath, DTM&H, Consultant Haematologist, Director of Blood and Marrow Transplantation (BMT) Programme, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Yaser

Husband to Vicki and father to Oscar (2007), Rufus (2008), Digby (2015), Humphrey (2017) & Margot (2012-2014)