Families continue to save and improve lives through organ donation at UHS

New figures out today reveal that there were 41 patients who donated their organs after death at University Hospital Southampton (UHS) last year, helping save or improve the lives of 4,532 people desperately in need of a transplant across the UK.

NHS Blood and Transplant have released the figures to mark the publication of the annual Organ Donation and Transplantation Activity Report showing that UHS was the second highest donor hospital in the UK last year, thanks to patients and their families.

The annual report shows deceased organ donation in the UK increased by 2% last year thanks to the continuing recovery of organ donation and transplant activity following the Covid-19 pandemic. 1,429 people in total donated their organs after death last year, including 41 at University Hospital Southampton.

However, the number of people being listed for a transplant has increased, due to most being suspended during the height of the pandemic and, subsequently, others needing a transplant being added to the list. There are more than 7,000 people on the active waiting list and a further 3,822 temporarily suspended.

David Thomson, a specialist nurse in organ donation at UHS (pictured far left in attached photo), said: “We are overwhelmingly grateful to all those families that we have supported in making the decision to give the gift of life to others, after their loved one has died.

“It is so incredibly important that people have those conversations so that family members are aware of the end of life decisions of their loved ones.

“Please register your organ donation decision on the NHS Organ Donor Register. If your family know what you want to happen when you die, they are much more likely to honour that decision and make organ donation is a possibility.”

Anthony Clarkson, Director of Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation, at NHS Blood and Transplant, said: “Over 50,000 people are alive in the UK today thanks to the life-saving gift of organ donation. But this wouldn’t be possible without the generosity of our incredible donors and their families who have given their support for donation at what is often the most difficult of times.

“We know that most people support organ donation in principle, and we have seen a steady increase in the number of people confirming their support for organ donation via the NHS Organ Donor Register.

“However, we still need families to support their loved one’s decision and agree to donation when approached, which we know is most likely when they know that’s what they wanted.

“We urge everyone who supports organ donation to confirm their decision on the NHS Organ Donor Register. It is a simple action which only takes two minutes; but can ultimately save lives.”

Find out more and register your decision by visiting NHS Organ Donor Register at https://www.organdonation.nhs.uk/ and share your decision with your family.