NHS Blood and Transplant and North Bristol NHS Trust are calling on people in Bristol to register their donation decision and talk to their families about organ donation as more than 6,500 people are actively waiting for a transplant across the UK. There are currently 280 patients in our trust waiting for a kidney transplant.
Over 215,000 people in Bristol have already registered their decision on the NHS Organ Donor Register. Organ donation is a choice, and it is your choice. We encourage you to talk to your family to ensure that they support and communicate your decision if they are ever approached about organ donation by a specialist nurse. When a family are approached, 9 out of 10 families will agree to donation if they know their family member was on the Organ Donor Register and talked about their decision.
Even though the law around organ donation has now changed across England, Scotland and Wales, family members will always be consulted before organ donation goes ahead. This means it is still just as important as ever to register your decision on the NHS Organ Donor Register and ensure your friends and family know what you want.
Dr Ian Thomas, Consultant and Clinical Lead for Organ Donation said:
“Organ donation is perhaps the ultimate gift that one human being can give to another. And with that gift we offer transplant recipients the opportunity of a life changing and, indeed, lifesaving organ transplant. It offers them a future free from dependence on medical devices.
“Very few people die in circumstances where organ donation can be considered, but for those who do, the opportunity for organ donation to be considered is a routine part of end-of-life care at Southmead Hospital.
My one key message today is to have a conversation with those closest to you and make your choice known, so that we can follow what your wishes are. It makes it so much easier for family members when we’re having conversations about organ donation, if they’re able to say what they knew you wanted without having to think about it at a time that is very emotional for them.”
This week, North Bristol NHS Trust is supporting the campaign by sharing key information with staff, members of the patients, patients, relatives and carers, as well as a behind the scenes video of the teams who support the organ donation process, and encouraging staff to join the Race for Recipients.
Today, Thursday 29 September, we are joined by the Bristol Area Patients Kidney Association (BAPKA) who are holding an information stand in the Brunel Atrium between 10am - 3pm. Representatives from the BAPKA will be there to chat with staff, patients and members of the public and share their close connection with organ transplant. In addition, staff from our Specialist Nurse in Organ Donation team will be present to answer questions and share their knowledge and expertise on why organ donation is so vital.
We are now asking people across the area to register their decision on the Organ Donor Register and tell their families that they want to donate after their death to ensure they are able to give the gift of life.
Anthony Clarkson, Director of Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation for NHS Blood and Transplant said:
“We are very grateful to North Bristol NHS Trust for its support during Organ Donation Week.
“Every day across the UK there are thousands of patients and their families, waiting for that all important life-saving call. Yet, this is often only possible as a result of another family receiving some of the hardest news they might ever have to hear.
“With the increase in the number of people waiting for transplants, it’s more important than ever to register your organ donation decision and make it known to your family and friends.
“We urge all family members of all ages to take a moment this Organ Donation Week to register and share your decision.”
To find out more and register your decision, visit the NHS Organ Donor Register at www.organdonation.nhs.uk and share your decision with your family. Users of the NHS app, can also use this to record, check or amend their details or decision.