Organ donor system overhaul call

[4me2]

Organ donor system overhaul call

Thousands of people are waiting for organ transplants

Government advisers have recommended a radical overhaul of the UK organ donor network in a bid to double the number of organs available for transplant.
By recruiting twice as many transplant coordinators and creating 24-hour organ retrieval teams they hope to emulate Spain's successful model.
A system of "presumed consent" in which everyone is a potential donor unless they opt out is also being considered.
Gordon Brown has backed the opt-out idea, which is still under discussion.
Writing in the Sunday Telegraph newspaper, the prime minister said a system of "presumed consent" - where hospitals could take organs unless a person had explicitly opted out before death or their family objects - could save thousands of lives.
I was reborn 16 years ago after my liver transplant operation and thanks to that donor I'm alive






Praise for Spanish system
How Spain's system works


"A system of this kind seems to have the potential to close the aching gap between the potential benefits of transplant surgery in the UK and the limits imposed by our current system of consent," he wrote.
A government taskforce set up to examine the donor shortage and consider the issue of presumed consent will report in the summer.
Mr Brown, who carries an organ donor card, said he hoped the measure could be introduced this year.
Lib Dem MP Dr Evan Harris, chair of All-Party Kidney Group and member of the BMA Medical Ethics Committee, welcomed Mr Brown's comments.
"Under an opt-out scheme donor's real wishes will be more often respected, more lives would be saved and grieving relatives will be spared the experience of making the wrong decision at the worst time," he said.
Mr Harris said too many people were "needlessly dying while waiting for organs".
However, several patient groups, including Patient Concern, are against a system of presumed consent, arguing that it is not up to the state to decide what becomes of people's bodies when they die.
Joyce Robins from Patient Concern told BBC Radio 5 Live presumed consent turned volunteers into conscripts and that proposals did not tackle the problem of donor shortages.
"Presumed consent is no consent at all. We've worked for years to get a system of proper, informed consent in the health service in this country and Gordon Brown is willing to throw it all out of the window," she said.
Dedicated teams
There are more than 8,000 people waiting for organ transplants in the UK - a figure which rises by about 8% a year. And one person dies every day because of a lack of organs.
These recommendations are an essential first step to improve the systems supporting organ donation


Alan Johnson, health minister


So far, the taskforce has made 14 recommendations for tackling the backlog.
They include doubling the number of transplant coordinators in the NHS to 200 and employing and training them centrally rather than by individual trusts.
Coordinators identify possible donors, talk to bereaved families and inform the national transplant list.
Dedicated organ retrieval teams available 24 hours a day would also be established to work closely with the critical care teams in hospital.
The proposed system is similar to that in Spain where they have three times more available organs than in the UK.
Consent
It is expected the measures could result in a 10% increase in the consent rate for donation which currently stands at 60%.
The taskforce says an extra 1,200 transplants could be done each year, which it says could save the NHS more than £500m over 10 years.

This is because dialysis for kidney failure patients costs £25,300 a year, whereas a transplant costs £45,900 initially followed by annual treatment costing £7,100.
Health Secretary Alan Johnson said: "Last year around 2,400 people in the UK benefited from an organ transplant, but more than 1,000 people die every year waiting for a transplant. "These recommendations are an essential first step to improve the systems supporting organ donation." Chris Rudge, director of UK Transplant, said there were weaknesses in the current system that needed to be addressed, saying lack of family consent meant four out of 10 organs considered suitable for transplant were not being used.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7183559.stm

[4me2]

I can't belive noone wants to discuss something as important as this.

[Over Carl]

Not much to discuss, top idea, can't see fault in it.

Sadly that means it probably wont happen.

[BertRoot]

Will make folk take more note if they have a serious objection. Personally I wouldn't wish my organs, the ones usable by others that is, on anyone.

[Over Carl]

. Personally I wouldn't wish my organs, the ones usable by others that is, on anyone.

Hmm, you may have a little point there

[wizard1974uk]

I would like to be buried with all my organs intact, that is if I haven't trashed them by the time I'm 60.

[ibleedred]

It's about time.

People are so selfish now, then they need to be made to help others - yet are fine accepting help themselves

[TwoPlAnKs]

as less and less people believe in an afterlife I can see why this is getting more and more popular

i'm all for it, the bits are no use to me when i'm dead

i did try to register to be a donor but the card never turned up. the way i see it we have the most responsibility as young people since our organs are young and healthy, and judging by my car insurance quote I die(at enormous expense) a few times every mile and every single person my age gets so drunk that they fall off a bridge every weekend so if that does happen they are welcome to them

gonna look into it again actually, might be easier just waiting for this law to come in though because it does seem to make it a lot simpler. i've never given blood either, should really get that underway soon but I never seem to have time these days, and feel pretty bad about it all. they should make a blood tax too, 4 pints a year from everyone

[SiE]

They should just launch a campaign on becoming donors and enable registration easy over the internet or by returning a posted leaflet. It shouldnt be automatic as a lot of people will object but it should be made a lot easier to go on the register.

As for the donor system, im all for it. As somebody has already said, if I was in need of a organ then I would take it so I should donate to the needy as long as its not to somebody who is gonna waste it like George Best did.

[4me2]

it is so easy to register just go here: http://www.uktransplant.org.uk/ukt/default.jsp

or phone 0845 60 60 400.

If you are like me and wanted the card too then tell them on the phone and they send you one out.

[4me2]

Poll added so lets see your thoughts.

[super mike]

There is no reason not to, it's selfish not too.

[BBK]

I really cannot understand why people wouldn't donate. Like others here I doubt many of mine will be usable, but if they want them they are welcome to them, even if its just to train the next generation of surgeons. Personally I'm not even sure we should give people the option at all, but I guess we live in a democracy and so should give a choice.

[Mobileman]

Yep some good points here, I agree should have to opt out and like the idea of mandatory blood donation. You should have to go to the quacks once / twice a year and give blood at the GP's whilst getting a check up

[4me2]

I really cannot understand why people wouldn't donate.

I can its called fear.

Some people obviousely believe you can still feel pain when your dead or something.

I wonder how they would feel though if they or one of their family were ever in the situation of needing a new heart of set of lungs to live ?

[B B Leo]

to be honest
i dont care what they do to my body ill be dead
and besides
i dont help any one now, so may as well do it when im dead

[SiE]

I think by making it an opt out scheme I think it places too much guilt on people who do not want to donate. At the end of the day you should be quite entitled to rest in piece in a way that you believe is right. Its your body at the end of the day.

I do want to donate my donors but I would fully understand individuals who do not.

It would be like signing everyone up to charity on a compulsory basis with a direct debit going out every month then saying you can opt out if you want. The guilt of doing so would stop a lot of people from canceling even though they may not agree with the charity or be able to afford it.

If it is easy to sign up then it certainly is not publicised enough. Maybe a tv campaign, leaflets etc would increase the number of registered donors.

[Charona]

I voted yes

As said your organs aint any good to you when your gone so you may as well save a few lives with them,
also remember even although you have a donor card and are a registered donor your next of kin must be aware of your wishes as they will be the ones with the final say.

[BBK]

Its your body at the end of the day.

Not when your dead it isnt, your a lump of rotting meat and you know fuck all about it. Fuck the relatives, they are on some emotional trip and generally unable to think rationally. No, this has to be mandatory and anyone who thinks otherwise should be educated to see how much help it can bring. Or shot. Either way who gives a shit.

[B.I.G.]

Or shot.

Obviously in the leg or arm as if you hit any organs it would rather defy the point.