FIRST Minister Nicola Sturgeon has visited Clydebank's hospital to mark 25 years since Scotland's first heart transplant days after Holyrood launched a consultation to increase donor numbers.

Ms Sturgeon arrived at Golden Jubilee National Hospital last week to meet with patients, both pre and post transplant surgery, to celebrate the life prolonging work done within the organisation. 

The SNP leader, who described the event as the "most exclusive" she will ever be invited to, addressed the 25 Years of Heart Transplantation conference where she emphasised the Scottish Government "must get (the consultation decision) right".

She said: "Over the past 25 years since the first heart transplant, 367 patients have benefited and it's great to see so many of them here today.

"You really are the true measure of the success of a unit like this.  "What the staff consider to be their day to day job makes such a huge difference to the well-being and happiness to the lives of the patients and their loved ones.

"I want to pay tribute to all of the people who have been donors. By definition, they can't be here today and we don't know who they all are but I suspect for the patients not a day or a week goes by you don''t think of your own donor."

She added: "Right now just under half of the Scottish population are signed up to the organ donor register and I'm proud to say I'm one of them. 

"There's much more we want to do. We want to ensure the number of organ donors keeps rising. 

"It's why we run campaigns like We Need Everybody and it's why we launched a consultation.

"We are absolutely determined before we make any change, to make sure it won't harm the public perception of organ donation in Scotland.

Given the success of the ground-breaking hospital, the Scottish Government has also tasked the hospital to investigate the possibility of adding lung transplants to their skillset which surgeons said they looked forward to. 

Meanwhile, chief executive of the hospital, Jill Young said: “Each year we hold an event dedicated to bringing together patients and families who have been treated by the service, letting them share their experiences and see that they are not alone. 

"This year, however, is a very special occasion for the NHS in Scotland - celebrating a landmark for this life-changing, life-saving, service which has given patients all across Scotland a second chance at life."

Ms Young added: “Today is a chance to look back, celebrate and remember but it is also an opportunity to look forward at new developments and possibilities for the future to help more patients than ever before not only survive heart failure, but go on to live healthy, active, normal lives for years to come.”

Michael Hanlon. from Knightswood, has remained within the Golden Jubilee National Hospital since being placed on the urgent transplant list on July 1.

But the dad-of-three's new routine was shaken up last week, when he received a special visitor to his hospital room from Ms Sturgeon, who reminded staff the "habits of a health secretary die hard" as she sanitized her hands without being asked before entering the ward.

As previously reported in the Post, Michael, who works in the motor trade, was diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in 2004, a condition which had been passed on genetically.

After experiencing heart failure in 2007 and undergoing open heart surgery to have a metal valve fitted, an infection in 2014 caused Michael’s condition to worsen leading to him being listed for transplant.

Speaking to our sister title the Evening Times in October, he said: “I’d always known through researching my condition that the only cure would be a transplant. You can’t fix what I have. It just happened sooner than expected.

“I know my hope is placed in someone having to lose their life and it’s hard to get your head round it.

“The wait is getting more difficult, particularly as I see others in the unit getting the outcome I so desperately need."

But the 55-year-old said he was staying positive despite the struggle and is counting down the days until a heart is found for him.

He told the SNP leader: "It's a long wait, it is, but I look at it as every day I'm a step closer to getting fixed."

He added: "One question I've got to ask you - are you on the register?"

To which, Ms Sturgeon responded: "I am. I've been on the organ donor register for a long, long time.

"I'm a great believer and a great supporter of it."