This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Strategy to improve organ donation
08/07/2002
Proposals for increasing organ donation rates across
Scotland - outlined in the Scottish Transplant Group's
first ever report - were published today.
The Group, set up by the Executive last year to provide
advice on organ donation and transplantation, recommends
the following steps:
- creation of a non-heartbeating donation programme,
to open up the possibility of becoming an organ donor
to a much wider range of people
- development of a major publicity campaign by
the Executive to raise public awareness of organ
donation
- increasing the numbers of kidney transplants by
live donors
- introduction of the subject of organ donation in
schools
- replacing the Human Tissue Act (1961) with separate
legislation governing organ retention, organ donation
and transplantation
- carrying an organ donor card should be considered
an advance directive - an expression of what the person
concerned wishes to happen to them when they are no
longer in a position to decide for themselves. These
wishes should be respected by doctors and
relatives
The report was issued today for consultation with
NHSBoards, health professionals and interested members of
the public.
Health Minister Malcolm Chisholm said:
"Transplants are literally a matter of life and death
for many of the 600 people across this country who are on a
waiting list for a new heart, liver, or kidney. That is
why, at the start of Transplant Awareness Week, I welcome
this new report which seeks to help us overcome the current
shortage of donors.
"Despite enormous advances in the field of
transplantation in recent years, it is frustrating for
patients and their families, and for NHS staff, that lives
remain in the balance, not because of lack of funding, lack
of commitment, or lack of enthusiasm, but simply through
the lack of organs.
"Two of the report's recommendations are already being
implemented -the development of a major national publicity
campaign to increase public awareness of the issues
surrounding organ donation and transplantation, and
development of a Teaching Resource Pack on organ donation
and transplant for use in schools. Both these initiatives
are aimed at encouraging people to talk about organ
donation with family and friends.
"I welcome the remaining recommendations but shall be
consulting widely before any changes are introduced. The
responses to the consultation will also help inform the
approach we adopt in the publicity campaign."
The Scottish Transplant Group includes key health
professionals, patients' organisations and the general
public. It was set up at the start of 2001 to advise the
Scottish Executive on all aspects of organ donation and
transplantation. The Group identified the severe shortage
of donor organs as the most pressing issue affecting
transplant programmes in Scotland and has devised a
strategy for increasing donation rates.
The publication of today's report is part of a
continuing process to increase organ donation in Scotland.
Following the consultation, which will run until 7 October
2002, the STG will remain in place to monitor the
implementation of any changes to organ donation policy,
arising out of the consultation.
Non-heartbeating donation was used when organ donation
started in the 1960s. Today most organs are donated in a
setting where a patient has been declared brain stem dead
but their heart is still beating. However, because of the
shortage of donors in the last few years, interest has
arisen again in non-heartbeating donation.
This form of organ donation has been used in a number of
centres in the UK and is most often carried out in the
following situation.
A patient is brought into A&E and is declared dead.
A small catheter is then introduced into the main artery in
the groin and is used to perfuse the kidneys and keep them
cold until a discussion can be carried out with relatives.
If they do not agree to donation, the procedure goes no
further, the small cannula is removed and the groin
sutured. If however the relatives agree to donation, the
kidneys are removed in the operating theatre.
Transplantation is then carried out in the usual way.
The report outlines both the advantages and concerns
about such procedures.
The Transplant Group's report can be downloaded from the
Internet at
www.show.scot.nhs.uk
in the 'Latest Publications' section.