15/08/2013

UK Sees Record Organ Transplant Numbers

The number of organ transplant operations carried out across the UK has risen to a record high, according to the NHS.

The NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) service revealed that there were 4,212 transplants in 2012-13, indicating an increase of 6% on the previous year.

A quarter were from a living donor giving a kidney or a liver part and the rest involved people who had died.

It is thought the rise is a result of an increase in the number of donors, which has risen 50% since 2008.

But NHSBT warned that extra donors were still needed.

At the end of March, 7,332 patients were recorded waiting for a transplant.

Another 3,030 were temporarily unable to have one for reasons such as being too ill to have an operation.

466 patients died while on the waiting list.

Last year four out of 10 bereaved families would not agree to donation, giving the UK one of the highest rates in Europe.

Sally Johnson of the NHSBT said: "These donations ensured that for the eighth year in succession the number of people benefiting from an organ transplant increased.

"But although we have seen year-on-year increases in activity the UK can and must do more to save and improve lives through organ donation and transplantation, and family refusal is now our biggest problem.

"If the NHS is to save even more lives, more people need to sign up to be a donor, more people need to discuss donation with those close to them and more families need to support donation on behalf of a loved one."

Professor Anthony Warrens, president of the British Transplantation Society, said: "It is very gratifying to note that we have performed over 4,000 transplants in 2012-13 for the first time ever in a single year."

(IT/CD)

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