The NHS has launched a survey seeking advice on what could and should be done to increase UK organ donation and transplant rates.  This will inform revision of the current NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) strategy, which is likely to take effect from early 2013. Responses to the survey are requested by 24 September.

The NHS Organ Donation Taskforce is on target to achieve a 50% increase in deceased organ donation by 2013; however, the availability of organs for transplant still does not meet the need.  This survey represents an opportunity to support the altruistic gift of organ donation and suggest means for improving organ donation rates; however, the survey also contains controversial proposals which must be strongly opposed.

Although NHSBT have made clear that they do not necessarily endorse all proposals within the survey, results of the survey will inform future efforts to increase organ and tissue donation and it is therefore important that any questionable proposals are robustly rejected.  Some of the proposals contained within the survey include prolonging the life of patients with no chance of survival in order to harvest their organs, new financial rewards for intensive care units (ICUs) for each organ they provide (ICUs already receive approx. £2,000 per organ to cover costs), presuming consent for organ donation, as well as giving priority for transplants to the 19.1 million registered UK donors.

This survey comes as the Welsh Government consults on a draft Bill to introduce a system of ‘presumed consent’ for organ donation.  CARE has concerns about these proposals and will be briefing supporters on how best to respond to the Welsh Government and NHSBT consultations in the coming weeks.

Read more here: Brain dead patients could be kept alive to harvest their organs for NHS – Telegraph