Transplant Australia Welcomes Government Review

PRESS STATEMENT

Transplant Australia welcomes commitment to increase donation rates

Transplant Australia today welcomes the release of an independent review into the performance of the organ and tissue donation sector in Australia.

Transplant Australia Chairman, Jason Ryan, said the review should give those on the transplant waiting list confidence that the Federal Government was doing everything possible to ensure Australia maximised its donation rate.

‘Our number one imperative is to ensure every suitable organ is made available. Although 2015 was a record year with highest number of organ donors recorded, we know Australia must strive for greater donation rates in order to be best practice,’ Mr Ryan said.

Mr Ryan believed the review pointed to three changes that are imperative to help achieve the national targets.

1. First, the Australian Organ Donor Register must be modernised to allow Australians to sign up to be to be an organ donor in a fast and simple way. We now have clear evidence to demonstrate that a person is far more likely to be a donor if they are signed onto the register. In fact, the rate of consent is double when a person has registered compared to the consent rate involving a family who has never discussed donation. We want to see Australia adopt a cutting edge sign up process, together with compelling awareness campaign.

‘Transplant Australia looks forward to working with the Federal Government to improve access to the Australian Organ Donor Register so that as many Australians as possible can commit to donation, to improve the lives of those waiting for a life-saving transplant.

2. ‘We call on state governments to support the increased rates with the required resources in intensive care, operating theatres and transplant units,’ Mr Ryan said. ‘The strategy of ensuring that every potential donation conversation in a hospital is undertaken by a trained professional must be achieved. The Organ & Tissue Authority must be given the support to ensure that its Professional Education Program, which is based on the Gift of life Institute in the United States, must reach all staff involved in donation.

‘We look to the future, and to working with the Organ & Tissue Authority to develop further strong performances in organ and tissue donation and transplantation.’

3. “In the same way that society ensures a person’s wishes in their will are honoured, all sectors of the transplantation community should work together to ensure that a person’s decision to be an organ donor is upheld. If a person signs the register, their wishes must be honoured,” said Mr Ryan.

We speak on behalf of the 1583 people waiting for a transplant. We need to improve the consent rate for them.

For further information, please contact:

Natasha Chadwick, Marketing & Communications, Transplant Australia. P| +61 2 9922 5400 M| 0499 090 777 E| Natasha.chadwick@transplant.org.au