Thousands of lives saved or improved through organ donation at University Hospital Southampton

New figures out today reveal that there were 46 patients who donated their organs after death at University Hospital Southampton last year, helping to save or improve the lives of 4,324 people desperately in need of a transplant in the UK.

NHS Blood and Transplant and University Hospital Southampton have released the figures to mark the publication of the annual Organ Donation and Transplantation Activity Report showing that Southampton was one of the top 20 donor hospitals in the UK last year.

The annual report shows deceased organ donation in the UK increased by 18 per cent last year thanks to the continuing recovery of organ donation and transplant activity following the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic. A total of 1,397 people donated their organs after death – 46 of them in Southampton.

Despite this, 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 currently 6,393 people on the active waiting list and a further 3,990 temporarily suspended.

Rachel Clare, specialist nurse in the organ donation team at University Hospital Southampton, said: “Knowing what your relative wanted helps families support their decision around organ donation at what is often a difficult time.

“We need more people in Southampton to talk with their loved ones about organ donation to give them the certainty they need to support their organ donation decision.”

She added: “Please register your organ donation decision and tell your family. Letting your family know what you want to happen when you die will make it much easier if there comes a time when organ donation is a possibility.

“Even now the law has changed, your loved ones will still always be consulted before organ donation goes ahead. Please don’t wait. Speak to your family about organ donation and let them know your decision today – leave them certain.”

Anthony Clarkson, Director of Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation, at NHS Blood and Transplant, said: “Organ donation and transplantation is a fundamental part of the NHS work to save lives. This is shown by the increase in the number of patients this year receiving transplants and the number of those who are continually registering their decision to be an organ donor.

“The fact that 1,397 people saved the lives of others last year through deceased organ donation is wonderful, especially given the fact that the number of families agreeing to donation when they were approached last year than fell by 3 per cent on the year before. We still need families to support their loved one’s decision and agree to donation when approached if they know that’s what they wanted.

“We need to work to improve consent/authorisation rates by encouraging people to register their decision and discuss it with their families as organ donation really does save lives.”

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.