News Release

9 November 2012

Online questionnaire on organ donation results released

NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) has today released feedback on a written engagement exercise which will, alongside a wider programme of stakeholder engagement, inform their plans for a new organ donation strategy.

For the last eight months, NHSBT has been talking to stakeholders nationwide for their input.

One of the ways NHSBT has sought views is through an online written engagement exercise. This was made available to all interested parties, including the public, between 27 July and 25 September 2012.

The results are published here.

The final version of the new organ donation strategy is due to be launched in April 2013.

Sally Johnson, Director of Organ Donation and Transplantation for NHSBT, said:

"We received over 400 responses from people who took the time to tell us what they would like to see in the new strategy. We will be taking all of those views into account as we go forward. I'd like to thank everyone who took part."

The responses, along with suggestions and comments gathered in workshops over the last few months will be used to help NHSBT to produce the new strategy 'Taking Organ Transplantation to 2020'.

Ends

For further information contact Pauline O'Brien at the NHSBT Press Office on 01923 367600 or out of hours call 0117 969 2444.

Notes to editors

  • NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) is a joint England and Wales Special Health Authority. Its remit includes the provision of a reliable, efficient supply of blood and associated services to the NHS in England and North Wales. It is also the organ donor organisation for the UK and is responsible for matching and allocating donated organs
  • The NHS Organ Donor Register records the details of people who have registered their wishes to donate organs and/or tissue after their death for transplantation. After someone has died, this information is checked by authorised medical staff to establish whether a person wanted to donate
  • Anyone can register on the NHS Organ Donor Register. Age is not a barrier to being an organ or tissue donor and neither are most medical conditions. People in their 70s and 80s have become organ donors and saved many lives. The oldest recorded cornea donor was 102 years old
  • One donor can save or transform up to nine lives and many more can be helped through the donation of tissues
  • Between April 2010 - March 2011, more than 7,300 organ and cornea transplants were carried out in the UK, thanks to the generosity of deceased and living donors - the highest on record.
  • More than 10,000 people in the UK currently need a transplant. Up to three people a day will die waiting.
  • To join the 19 million people in the UK already on the NHS ODR call 0300 123 23 23, text SAVE to 84118 or visit organdonation.nhs.uk.