Organ Donation and Transplantation

NHSBT is the UK organ donation and transplantation organisation responsible for all aspects of the donation process, and for matching and allocating solid organs and corneas for transplantation throughout the UK. We also monitor post-transplant outcomes and manage and promote awareness of the NHS Organ Donor Register.

In 2010/11 we continued to develop NHSBT as the UK wide Organ Donation Organisation as outlined in the Organ Donation Taskforce (ODTF) report in 2008. We are already half way to meeting the 50% target to increase deceased organ donation throughout the UK by 2012/13.

In 2010/11:

• We achieved a new record for the number of people who donated their organs after death, exceeding 1,000 donors for the first time. As a result, 3,740 transplants were carried out in the UK - the sixth year on year growth in transplants.
  
  
• 1,045 people received transplants from living donors.
  
  
• 3,566 patients had their sight restored through a cornea transplant - an increase of 15% on last year.
  
  
• Consent rates for organ donation following brain death also continued to rise from 61% of families approached about donation in 2009/10 to 65% in 2010/11.
  
  
• The number of people on the Organ Donor Register continued to grow. Almost 675,000 people joined the NHS Organ Donor Register (ODR), bringing the total to 17,751,795 or 29% of the population by the end of the year (March 2011). This is an increase of 4% on the previous year total.
  
  
• We increased the number of organs available for transplant including an 11% rise in the number of cardiothoracic organ transplants and 1% growth in the number of pancreas transplants.
  
  
• Our campaign to encourage more members of Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) communities to join the Organ Donor Register saw a 46% increase compared to 2006/07.

Organ Donor Register
In 2010 we welcomed the findings of an independent report into the NHS ODR following a data error issue identified in April 2010.

This involved the way we recorded people's preferences to donate specific organs. We identified and resolved the error, as well as ensuring the small number of impacted families received a full apology and all the support they needed.

Sir Gordon Duff was tasked with looking into the data errors to ensure that similar problems could not occur again.

His report 'The Review of the Organ Donor Register' found that NHSBT had taken swift action to correct the error and prevent it from happening again. However, the report highlighted that the technology in place for the ODR was not originally designed to fulfil the function we required and that this needed to be addressed.

We welcomed the report and are implementing recommendations.

EU Directive
In June 2010 the European Parliament approved a draft directive on quality and safety standards for human organs used for transplants. The Directive covers all stages of the pathway from donation, aiming to maximise benefits and minimise risks associated with this crucial area of clinical activity.

We formed a project team soon after the announcement to ensure we comply with the Directive quality and safety standard requirements.

In March 2011, the Human Tissue Authority (HTA) was named the Competent Authority responsible for regulating the Directive. We are currently working with the HTA, Department of Health and Health Administrations for Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales to ensure compliance with the legislation by August 2012.

Click here to visit the Organ Donation website