To: Mr Timothy Statham OBE
National Kidney Federation
20 April 2000
Thank you very much for sending comments on an earlier version of the BMA’s paper on organ donation. The Medical Ethics Committee has now approved a final draft of the document which will be submitted to BMA Council for approval in May. I enclose a copy for your information.
The Medical Ethics Committee was greatly encouraged by the very positive response received from the wide-range of organisations consulted about the draft paper. As expected there were areas of disagreement about some of the suggestions made in the paper, but the very clear message we received was that it is indeed time for a consolidated approach. The clear view emerged that the disparate approaches of individual organisations have failed to persuade the Government of the need for a radical review of the system and that a combined approach is needed; those who are committed to improving the organ donation system need to pool their weight and resources to campaign for change. There was also wide support for a thorough review of the law, practice and infrastructure rather than seeking a simple &ldsquo;quick fix” solution.
Over the last few years, a number of very authoritative reports have been issued on organ donation. These have received good media attention at the time of their launch but have very quickly disappeared from public view. Organ donation is in the news at the moment and we need to keep it there. To coincide with the launch of its discussion paper, the BMA is developing a campaign strategy to encourage a wide-ranging and informed debate about the issue in Parliament, in the media and amongst the public. We are now contacting a number of core organisations to identify those who would be willing to work with us on the campaign.
Whilst our discussion paper will be one of the tools used, it is not necessary for all of the organisations who join the campaign to endorse the BMA’s proposals. The most important consideration is that those who join the campaign are committed to encouraging serious debate about the range of issues discussed in the paper.
There are various levels of possible involvement:
My reason for writing now is to ask what level of support, if any, the National Kidney Federation is able to offer with this campaign. I realise you may need time to consider this request through your own internal procedures but it would be helpful to know by the end of May, if at all possible, so that we can prepare for the launch of the campaign in June.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely
Dr Michael Wilks
Chairman, Medical Ethics Committee
To: Veronica English
British medical Association
Date: 22 May 2000
Dear Sirs,
I am pleased to tell you that at the Executive Committee meeting held on 20th and 21st may 2000 it was unanimously agreed that the National Kidney Federation support the BMA document. Our level of support is to be the highest - level 1 (Formally endorsing the BMA’s paper and willing to join a campaign for a thorough review of the organ donation system.
As a first step we would like to be sent an electronic copy of the completed document (not draft) that we can display in full on our web site with a release date that the document is embargoed too.
Timothy F Statham OBE
National Kidney Federation
The National Kidney Federation cannot accept responsibility for the views expressed by others in these letters pages.
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