NKF Campaigns Zone:
Press & Media

NHS likely to miss its own Organ Transplant targets

Embargoed to 2pm on Friday 7th October 2011

The NHS is unlikely to achieve the 50% increase in Organ donations set by the Government backed Organ Donation Taskforce just four years ago - this is the view held by the National Kidney Federation and revealed to 300 Kidney Patients at its annual Conference in Blackpool on Saturday (8th October 2011). Addressing the Conference, Kirit Modi, Vice Chairman, stunned the audience of Dialysis and Transplanted patients by saying:-

“I wish to highlight one area of major concern to the NKF at present. Most of you will be aware that the NKF and the All Party Parliamentary Kidney Group published a manifesto on transplantation in 2006. This important document led to the Organ Donation Task Force report which identified 14 areas of improvement to be achieved over 5 years by 2013. The Government appointed Chris Rudge as the Transplant Tsar with overall responsibility to deliver on these improvements. We are now in the fourth year of this programme and some improvements have taken place. For example, we now have specialist nurses for organ donation working in our hospitals, we have lead clinicians for organ donations and we have Organ Donation Committees. There has been an overall increase in the number of organ donations from deceased donors, both kidneys and other organs, over the last three years of 26% and we welcome this. However, the modest target set by the Task Force was a 50% increase by 2013. I regret to inform you that in our discussions with the Department of Health and with Chris Rudge himself, we have been told that the 50% target is unlikely to be achieved. The Task Force Delivery Board responsible for delivering on this target was disbanded earlier this year; Chris Rudge has now retired from his post and there is no senior person in the Department of Health who is responsible for this work. This is not acceptable and we must raise this as a major concern with the Secretary of State as a matter of urgency. I am calling upon Andrew Lansley today to take responsibility for the target accepted by the Department of Health and I am urging you the patients raise this at a local level with your MPs and your Organ Donation committees. The NKF understands that lives will be lost as a direct result of this failure and we will not let the Government escape its responsibility in this matter.”

Notes to Editors

1. Detail of the NKF Conference (Roadshow) can be found at http://www.kidney.org.uk/roadshow11/
2. The Organ Donation Taskforce report can be read at http://www.kidney.org.uk/campaigns/Press-Media/nkf-press-jan08.html

3. Further information can be obtained from:-

   Tel (01909) 544999, National Kidney Federation, The Point, Coach Road, Shireoaks, Worksop, Notts S81 8BW