Transplant programme leadership harshly criticised by report

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Transplant unit condemned for 70% death rate

The investigation into the St George's heart transplant programme will make uncomfortable reading for Andrew Murday. Although not named in the report, he was one of the two co-directors whose leadership is harshly criticised.

Mr Murday, consultant cardiothoracic surgeon, was appointed earlier this year to rebuild Scotland's transplant service based at Gartnavel hospital, Glasgow, after the acrimonious departure of Surenda Naik, who was the country's only consultant transplant surgeon. Heart transplant operations in Scotland were suspended in May 2000 and patients had to travel to the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle. The Scottish NHS Executive was severely criticised for allowing the service to collapse and taking months fill the post.

The Scottish transplant service, which Mr Murday is now in charge of restoring, has been allocated £600,000 a year and appointed four consultant transplant surgeons. Transplants resumed this month but the first patient died a few hours after the operation.

Defending, Mr Murday's appointment, the Scottish NHS Executive said: "The background of all the candidates was rigorously reviewed."