Families continue save and improve lives through deceased organ donation

New figures out today reveal that The Walton Centre was one of the top 20 centres for organ donation last year. 17 patients who passed away at the hospital became organ donors, contributing to the national effort to save or improve the lives of 3,391 people desperately in need of a transplant in the UK.

NHS Blood and Transplant and The Walton Centre have released the figures to mark the publication of the annual Transplant Activity Report.

The specialist neurosciences trust was one of the top 20 donor hospitals in England last year.

The report reveals a steady increase in support for organ donation around the country, with 69% of families giving their consent when asked about organ donation.

The annual report shows deceased organ donation fell last year due to the pandemic where Covid-19 had a wide-reaching impact across the whole NHS and every aspect of UK society.

Despite this, 1,180 people in the UK donated their organs after they died, saving or improving the lives of 3,391 transplant recipients and giving hope to the thousands of patients still waiting.

One of The Walton Centre’s Specialist Nurses for Organ Donation Adam Barley said: “The pandemic presented an unprecedented situation for organ donation teams across the NHS. We’ve worked hard with the hospital and the families of donors to ensure their wishes are carried out and people waiting for transplants get the best chance possible. I’m proud of the hard work the team have put in to achieve this and maintain the high level of service.

“Please tell your family that you want to support donation. Letting your family know that you want to save lives will make it much easier if there comes a time when organ donation is a possibility.”

The law around organ donation in England changed to an opt out system in May last year, and it is hoped public support for organ donation will continue to build.

Organ donation remains a most precious gift. Adults covered by the new law change still have a choice about whether or not they want to donate, and families are still involved before organ donation goes ahead.

John Forsythe, Medical Director of Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation, at NHS Blood and Transplant, says:

“This past year has been completely unprecedented in the history of the NHS, as well as in our wider society. So, the fact that we managed to maintain three quarters of our normal donation and transplantation activity across the UK is absolutely phenomenal. 

“There’s no escaping the fact that organ donation and transplantation will take some time to recover completely, as will the rest of the NHS. But each one of us in the wider clinical team of donation and transplantation, across the UK, are immensely proud of the work to keep organ donation and transplants happening in the most challenging circumstances. But our commitment is nothing compared with donors and their families – the gift of life has been donated in the midst of a tragedy made even more difficult by Covid restrictions.”

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.

-Ends-

For additional information about The Walton Centre, please contact 0151 556 3397, email wcf-tr.waltoncentre.communications@nhs.net

Or for more information about NHS Blood and Transplant, contact the press office on 01923 367600 or pressoffice@nhsbt.nhs.uk

To find out more about organ donation, the law change, or to opt in or out, visit: www.organdonation.nhs.uk or call the dedicated advice line on 0300 303 2094.

The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust is the only hospital trust in the UK specialising in neurology, neurosurgery and pain services. It has twice been rated as ‘Outstanding’ by the Care Quality Commission. Although the majority of patients come from Merseyside, Cheshire, North Wales, Lancashire and the Isle of Man, for some specialist treatments of complex disorders we see patients from all parts of the country, referred by their GPs or other neurologists, neurosurgeons and pain clinicians. For more information please visit: www.thewaltoncentre.nhs.uk or follow the Trust on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.

NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) is a joint England and Wales Special Health Authority. Its remit includes the provision of a reliable, efficient supply of blood and associated services to the NHS in England. It is also the organ donor organisation for the whole of the UK and is responsible for matching and allocating donated organs.