New organ donor campaign launched in effort to stop people dying needlessly

Over the past four years a total of 73 people in Hampshire have died due to the shortage of organs – deaths that could have been prevented if loved ones had just had that conversation about being a donor should the worst happen.

With 283 patients in Hampshire currently waiting for a transplant, health bosses are urging people to pass on their donation wishes to relatives and provide a living legacy.

The latest figures have been released by NHS Blood and Transplant to mark the beginning of National Transplant Week today. They reveal that there are 596,913 people across the county who are signed up to the organ donor register.

This year’s theme is Pass It On, stressing the importance of having a conversation about organ donation as well as joining the register to cut the UK’s family refusal rate – currently one of the highest in Europe.

To encourage people, some famous faces, including Sky News presenter Kay Burley and Homeland actor David Harewood, have thrown their backing behind the campaign and feature in a series of short films to show just how easy it is to sign up.

The latest figures show that while 95 per cent of families agree to donation if a loved one has discussed their wishes and is registered on the register, this drops to only 46 per cent when donation wishes are not known.

Sally Johnson, from NHS Blood and Transplant, said: “Since April, 21 people living in Hampshire have benefitted from a life-saving transplant.

“To help more people we need everyone, including the 596,913 people on the NHS Organ Donor Register in Hampshire, to talk to their loved ones about their donation wishes.

“We need a transformation in donor and family consent to organ donation because the UK’s family refusal rate remains one of the highest in Europe.

“For this year’s National Transplant Week, we hope the people of Hampshire will Pass It On.”

To sign up to the NHS Organ Donor Register call 0300 123 2323 or text DONATE to 62323.