Consultation on organ donation

ACONSULTATION will be launched asking Halton residents for their views on a new optout system for organ donation.

A Department Of Health (DOH) spokesman said despite 1,169 deceased donors and 3,293 transplants in England being the highest ever rate of donation, there are still more people waiting for procedures than there are organs available.

Under the current system, anyone wishing to donate their organs has to opt in via the registration and organ donor card scheme run by NHS Blood And Transplant.

A family member can also agree to the donation of organs if the person had not made their wishes known.

The consultation will outline ways to increase rates of organ donation and propose a new approach where every person would be deemed to have given consent unless they choose to opt out. It will run for 12 weeks. Health secretary Jeremy Hunt said: “Too many people still wait too long for an urgent transplant and we must urgently address this.

“Just as most people would be willing to accept an organ if their life was at risk, most people would be willing to donate one to help save somebody else.

“All these issues will be looked at in the consultation and we welcome all those with views to come forward with their contributions.”

The DOH spokesman said there are ‘particularly long waiting’ times for those in black and minority ethnic (BAME) populations.

Consent rates for organ donation are also low in these communities, at around 35% compared to 66% in the white population.

Views are being sought on how organ donation rates can be increased, how the issue of consent should be managed within the NHS, what role technology could play in helping people to discuss their preferences with family, and how optout could work in practice, what safeguards would be necessary, and how families could be supported.

The spokesman said: “There is currently a severe shortage of suitable organs, with around 6,500 people currently on transplant waiting lists.

“Every day up to three people die while waiting for an organ to become available.

“Last year just over 6% of deceased donors were from black and Asian communities, with people waiting on average six months longer for a kidney transplant than a white patient.

“Work is already underway to address the fact that consent rates for organ donation in these communities are lower than in the white population.

“This will continue alongside the consultation.

“The Government will carefully consult, listen and take account of the views of people from a diverse range of ethnic, religious and cultural communities when considering any changes to the law.”

A model of ‘presumed consent’ was introduced in Wales in 2015 and the Scottish government announced its intention to introduce similar legislation earlier this year.

Full details of the consultation will be released later in the year.