Organ donation help is praised by director
Board staff thanked for support
As organ donations decrease nationwide NHS Forth Valley has continued its support despite the pandemic.
The UK’S director of organ donation and transplantation has written to the health board thanking them for its ongoing support.
As well as thanking NHS staff, director Anthony Clarkson said every donation was “a reflection of the altruism of the patient and their family.”
According to the latest figures: From 10 authorised donors, NHS Forth Valley facilitated eight actual solid organ donors. This resulted in 17 patients receiving a transplant between April 1, 2019 and March 31, 2020.
But NHS Forth Valley has continued to offer its support to seek donor matches this year.
The UK’S director of organ donation and transplantation, Anthony Clarkson, wrote to NHS Forth Valley thanking the health board for its continued support throughout the pandemic.
The letter was shared at this week’ NHS Forth Valley board meeting which took place on Tuesday.
In his letter to Forth Valley’s chief executive Cathie Cowan and medical director Andrew Murray, Mr Clarkson wrote: “The Covid-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on organ donation and transplantation across the UK.
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank you and your organisation for your ongoing support throughout the year and especially during these unprecedented times.
“Every donation is a reflection of the altruism of the patient and their family and a testament to the care and professionalism of colleagues across the NHS who facilitate this lifesaving process.
“During the Covid-19 pandemic we saw the number of potential donors decrease because people who die with, or are suspected to have the infection cannot be considered as organ donors.
“Despite this, hospitals across the UK have continued to support organ donation and transplantation, and that support has ensured that between 11 March and 31 May, 153 organ donors were facilitated, resulting in 388 lifesaving organ transplants.”
NHS Forth Valley consultant anaesthetist and intensivist Dr Helen Tyler is the clinical lead for organ donation in NHS Forth Valley.
And she is very proud of the continued work her team has done to support organ donation during these challenging times.
Dr Tyler said: “Local staff across the organisation have continued to do great work to support organ donation despite the additional challenges of Covid-19 and I’m very proud of everything the team has achieved.”
“In the last year Forth Valley organ donors made 17 lifesaving transplants possible.
She added: “We are looking forward to recognising local donors, their families, the support of local staff and the great gift of a transplant, through a new organ donation memorial which is currently being planned at the hospital.”
Staff have continued to do great work to support organ donation despite Covid-19 challenges