HEALTH chiefs have revealed a “worrying decline” in living kidney donations in Hampshire as new national figures hit an eight-year low.

A total of 990 people volunteered to donate a kidney in the UK last year, a ten per cent reduction on the all-time high recorded in 2013 and the lowest figure since 2009.

Hampshire saw only 24 living kidney donations in 2017, compared with 37 in 2013.

There are currently 126 people in the county waiting for a new kidney and 48 on the transplant waiting list have died in the past last five years.

The figures were released yesterday to mark World Kidney Day – and were accompanied by a plea for more people to consider making a life-changing donation.

About 5,000 people in the UK need a new kidney and every year hundreds die while waiting for a suitable organ to become available.

A third of all transplants involve a kidney from a living donor – usually a relative or close friend of the recipient.

Doctors say a kidney from a living donor offers the best chance of a successful transplant.

Lisa Burnapp, NHS Blood and Transplant’s lead nurse for kidney donation, said: “Last year, 261 people died in the UK while waiting for a kidney transplant and many of those lives could have been saved through increased living kidney donation.

“Living donation has been a major success story for the UK.“One in three patients receives a kidney transplant from a living donor, so the decline in Hampshire and across the UK is worrying. We’re investigating the causes and working closely with NHS England and health departments in all four UK countries to reverse the trend.”

No reason for the decline has been put forward but one part of Hampshire has seen an increase in the number of living kidney donations.

Keith Graetz, consultant surgeon at Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “We carried out 24 living donor transplants in 2013/14 and this year we’ve reached a record 31, with three more scheduled before the end of the month.

“We’re currently experiencing our busiest ever year for both live and deceased donor kidney transplants.

“Despite this our transplant waiting has more patients on it than ever before, highlighting the ongoing need for people to consider organ donation.

“Living kidney donation offers the best outcome and saves lives.”