CTAG/CTPG

An introduction of Robert Burns, the new chair of the Cardiothoracic Transplant Patient Group (CTPG)

The CTPG is a patient led group which represents all patients in the UK who are at any stage of a heart or lung transplant pathway (pre- and post-transplant) or have a ventricular assist device (VAD). The key purpose of the group is to seek information and raise concerns about any aspect of organ donation and transplant care. 

The current chair of this group is Robbie Burns. Robbie had a heart transplant in 2020 and has a professional background in senior NHS management. 

As chair of the CTPG Robbie also sits on the national advisory groups for both heart and lung transplant. He ensures that our views and concerns are heard by the advisory groups and that our voice is represented in decision making. 

I regularly link in with Robbie to ensure he hears the comments, views and concerns of the Harefield transplant patients. I along with other patients from Harefield are members of the CTPG.”

Have your say! Download the Feedback Form (or print if you prefer), fill it in and send directly to Robbie on robertwburns@tiscali.co.uk.

Finally, at the CTPG on 7 Dec I am going to push again on psychology support for patients – it would be great if you would be able to speak up and say on behalf of Harefield Patients that they would benefit from more psychological support. In the psychology patient survey very few Harefield patients said their psychological needs were met with the vast majority saying their psychological needs were not met. 

If you would like to attend any of the meetings which are currently held online, please email chairperson Janka on janka.penther@hotmail.com so I can liaise with the organisers who will then send you the link to the meeting.

Minutes of previous meetings can be found here: https://www.odt.nhs.uk/transplantation/cardiothoracic/cardiothoracic-advisory-group/

Janka Penther (chairperson of the HTC)