Sylvia Heal

Labour Party | Halesowen and Rowley Regis

Local MP backs organ donor action

Sylvia Heal, local MP for Halesowen and Rowley Regis, has welcomed the Government’s recent announcement that they will support the recommendations of the Organ Donation Taskforce, which could see a 50 per cent increase in organ donation in the UK within five years - resulting in an additional 1,200 transplants a year and saving thousands of lives.

The Government established the Organ Donation Taskforce in 2006 with the aim of identifying barriers to organ donation, explore current issues that might have a bearing on donation rates, and recommend action to be taken to increase organ donation.

More than 1,000 people die every year in the UK while waiting for a transplant and many more die before they even get on to the transplant list.  Currently more than 8,000 people in the UK need an organ transplant but only around 3,000 organ transplants are carried out each year.

The Government confirmed £11 million of funding to support the recommendations in the report with more to follow next year. The report proposes a radical shift from existing arrangements, recommending the recruitment of around 100 extra donor transplant coordinators to work with hospitals and guide and support bereaved families through the donation process. Together with other measures to improve donor coordination services this could result in a 50% increase in the consent rate for donation.

Sylvia has also welcomed the debate on an “opt out” system and the taskforce is now set to look at this complex issue and report back to Government in the Summer.

Sylvia Heal MP said: I am sure we all know of someone who is waiting for an organ donation that would improve their quality of life. I hope constituents will consider having an Organ Donor Card”.  

If you've not signed up to the NHS Organ Donor Register, you can do so by calling the NHS Organ Donor Line: 0845 60 60 400 or by visiting their website: http://www.uktransplant.org.uk/ukt/how_to_become_a_donor/registration/consent.jsp