News

Five Kettering General Hospital patients who donated their organs after death have helped to save or transform 12 lives following transplant surgery.

NHS Blood and Transplant and Kettering General Hospital have released the figures to mark the publication of the annual Organ Donation and Transplantation Activity Report covering the period April 2021-March 2022.

Kettering General Hospital’s Organ and Tissue Donation Committee, Chair, Nicola Lee, said: “While England now has an opt out system for organ donation it is still very important to make your organ donation wishes known to your family.

 

“Letting your family know what you want to happen when you die will make it much easier if there comes a time when organ donation is a possibility. Families are still asked by medical professionals to agree to your donation wishes. If you register your decision and let your family know it makes things clearer and helps to ensure your wishes are carried out.”

Kettering General Hospital’s Organ and Tissue Donation Committee works to promote the importance of organ and tissue donation both within our hospital teams and in the local community.

Organ Donation starts to recover following Covid pandemic

Nationally the new annual report shows that deceased organ donation in the UK increased by 18% last year.

This marks a continued recovery of organ donation and transplant activity following the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Across the country 1,397 people in total donated their organs after death last year. There are currently 6,393 people on the active waiting list and a further 3,990 temporarily suspended.

Anthony Clarkson, Director of Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation, at NHS Blood and Transplant, says: “Organ donation and transplantation is a fundamental part of the NHS work to save lives. This is shown by the increase in the number of patients this year receiving transplants and the number of those who are continually registering their decision to be an organ donor. 

“The fact that 1,397 people saved the lives of others last year through deceased organ donation is wonderful, especially given the fact that the number of families agreeing to donation when they were approached last year than fell by 3% on the year before. We still need families to support their loved one’s decision and agree to donation when approached if they know that’s what they wanted.

“We need to work to improve consent/authorisation rates by encouraging people to register their decision and discuss it with their families as organ donation really does save lives.”

Find out more and register your decision by visiting NHS Organ Donor Register at www.organdonation.nhs.uk and share your decision with your family.