NKF Campaigns Zone:
Transplantation & Live Donors

LEAVE MORE THAN MEMORIES - UK Transplant Campaign

Click here to view and download a copy of the Campaign Leaflet ‘Leave More than Memories’ (This leaflet can also be printed off and used to have your name added to NHS Organ Donor Register) - 135Kb (38 secs@28.8 KBits/sec)

Campaign background

UK Transplant is the NHS health authority responsible for raising awareness and support for organ transplantation and encouraging people to give someone else the chance to live after their death by joining the NHS Organ Donor Register.

Shortage of donors

There is a critical shortage of donated organs. More than 7,000 people in the UK need an organ transplant to save or dramatically improve their life. But the shortage of donors means that only about 2,700 transplants take place each year. Every year nearly 400 people die while waiting and many others lose their lives before they even get on to the transplant list.

The Department of Health’s Transplant Framework - Saving Lives, Valuing Donors sets out an aim to increase the number of people registered on the NHS Organ Donor Register (ODR) – currently 10.9 million – to 16 million by 2010. We know from public research that 90% of people in the UK support the principle of organ donation. But only about 18% have got around to registering their wishes on the ODR.

One of the reasons for the shortage is that many people have not thought about donation or discussed it with their families. Most people who refuse consent for their relative's organs to be used say “no” because they have never discussed organ and tissue donation and simply do not know what their loved one would have wanted.

DVLA partnership

We know that drivers are some of the kindest and most compassionate people in the UK. The scheme enabling drivers to join the NHS Organ Donor Register by ticking a box on their driving licence application form is the main source of all registrants. More than 18% of all new drivers say they are willing to help someone else to live after their death and to date nearly 4.6m have joined by this route.

More 16-18 year-olds join the ODR than any other age group and the majority of them enrol through the driving licence scheme.

However, people are only offered the opportunity to join in this way when they apply for their first licence or change their name/address or other details. We believe there are many more drivers who would be willing to help others – we just need to reach them.

Leave more than memories campaign

Each year the DVLA sends out 36 million-road tax reminders to the owners of 30 million vehicles in England, Wales and Scotland. Northern Ireland has separate vehicle licensing arrangements.

The DVLA has agreed to mail organ donation registration forms to the owners of a total of six million vehicles with vehicle tax reminders posted in January and March 2004. The pilot project will enable UKT to test the effectiveness of the campaign and assess the Freepost costs of extending the campaign to all 36 million mailings.

The campaign – Leave more than memories – will encourage drivers to discuss  organ and tissue donation with their families and friends and to register their wishes on the NHS Organ Donor Register.

Motorists in Wales will receive a bilingual leaflet.

The thought-provoking graphics reflect the pride that families feel when a loved one has been able to help someone else after their death and have been tested with members of the public and donor families.

Publicity support

The pilot will be supported by media relations activity aimed at motorists and vehicle fleet managers including drive-time radio interviews. Four thousand posters are being printed and distributed for display at hospitals, DVLA offices and other premises.

The key donor family charities are supporting the campaign and are willing to front spokespeople.

Lines of response are being developed to help partner agencies which may receive press office queries.

For further information

Contact:

UK Transplant

Penny Hallett, Director of Communication and Public Relations

0117 975 7573 e-mail Penny.Hallett@uktransplant.nhs.uk

Angie Burton. Marketing and Campaigns Manager

0117 975 7495 e-mail Angela.Burton@uktransplant.nhs.uk

DVLA

Gareth Hughes, Press Officer

01792 782470 e-mail gareth.hughes@dvla.gsi.gov.uk

Footnote

People often assume most donors are killed in road accidents, but legislation and improved vehicle and road design have led to a big drop in the number of donors from road accidents. In 1994 171 organ donors died as result of a crash  - compared to 89 in 2002 – a 48% drop.