NKF Campaigns Zone:
Transplantation & Live Donors

[The following Press Release was issued by Department of Health on 7 July 2003]

Saving Lives, Valuing Donors – A Transplant Framework for England sets out key aims for organ and tissue transplantation over the next 10 years. It describes good practice based on national and international evidence which the Government believes the NHS and society can use together to save lives and maximise the benefits of organ and tissue transplantation. [A copy of the document in Portable Document Format (265Kb) is available by clicking here.]

Our vision is of a patient and donor-centred service which achieves standards of excellence built on a genuine partnership between the public, charities, the NHS and commercial organisations – a partnership between those in need and those who can help. This approach is in keeping with the devolving responsibility to front line services set out in Shifting the Balance of Power and Improvement, Expansion and Reform: the next 3 years.

This Framework identifies the part the Government, individuals, the NHS and other stakeholders can play in:

• encouraging people to donate organs and tissues
• raising the quality and effectiveness of transplant services
• improving the clinical outcomes and quality of life of people who receive the gift of an organ or tissue
• increasing the supply of viable organs and tissues for transplantation
• accrediting tissue banks to ensure high-quality tissues for transplantation.

Its aims are to encourage the NHS, commercial, voluntary organisations and the general public to play their part in:

• ensuring at least 16 million people are registered on the Organ Donor Register by 2010
• developing a transplant service that respects the dignity of donors and is sensitive to the needs of donor families and friends and transplant recipients
• optimising the number of potential organ and tissue donors and the number of high- quality, safe organs and tissues for transplantation
• increasing transplant rates to save lives and improve the quality of the lives saved.

Scope of the Transplant Framework

The Framework concentrates on improving the number and quality of organs and tissues (eg corneas, skin, bone) available for transplant. For heart and lung transplants, evidence-based standards to improve clinical care can be found in National Heart and Lung Transplant Standards (on the Dept of Health website) published in 2002 by the National Specialist Commissioning Advisory Group. Similarly, a National Service Framework for Renal Services and National Liver Transplant Standards are also being developed.

Although much of the good practice outlined here will also be relevant for the donation and transplantation of stem cells, such as the banking of cord blood donations and bone marrow transplantation, there are particular differences which need to be recognised and which are not covered by this Framework. Further information on bone marrow transplantation and cord blood banking can be found on a number of web sites including the UK Cord Blood Bank at http://www.cordbloodbank.co.uk/ and the Anthony Nolan Trust at http://www.anthonynolan.org.uk/.