MEMBER for Northern Tablelands Adam Marshall is urging local families across the region to discuss their wishes regarding organ donation and register to become donors to boost the State’s transplantation rate.
Mr Marshall said that the Organ and Tissue Authority (OTA) 2014 Performance Report – released yesterday – showed there were 92 organ donors in NSW in 2014, from whom 263 organs were retrieved and transplanted. The 92 donors in 2014 was the second highest number on record in NSW but down from the record 102 donors in 2013.
“This serves as a reminder of the importance of discussing this difficult issue and making your decision known to loved ones,” Mr Marshall said.
“Too often, grieving families are faced with uncertainty around whether or not to donate their loved one’s organs at an already very difficult time.
“The majority of families who did not consent for organ donation felt unprepared for the decision and did not know their loved one’s wishes. This highlights the importance of family discussion about organ donation decisions.
“Less than two per cent of deaths in NSW hospitals occur in ways that open up the possibility for organ donation.
“I ask that all families discuss their thoughts on organ donation, share their decision and register it on Medicare’s Australian Organ Donor Register.”
In 2012 the NSW Government released a plan, Increasing Organ Donation in NSW, to boost the transplantation rate.
Key initiatives included:
- Closure of the NSW Roads and Maritime Services (formerly RTA) organ donor register;
- Moving to the single national Australian Organ Donor Register administered by Medicare; and
- Targeted placement of dedicated organ donation and nurses in hospitals with high caseloads of potential donors, including doctors with specialised training to manage the organ donation conversation with families.
“The NSW Government has taken significant steps to boost organ donation but of course the greatest responsibility lies with potential donors and their loved ones,” Mr Marshall said. “I urge people to have the difficult conversation which has the potential to save many lives.”
For more information on organ donation, please visit www.donatelife.gov.au