Organ Donation

World’s Best Practice National Reform Package for Organ and Tissue Donation for Transplantation

Information about the Australian Government’s proposed reform package for organ and tissue donation for transplantation.

A world’s best practice approach to organ and tissue donation for transplantation

On 2 July 2008 the Australian Government announced a total Commonwealth funding package of $151.1 million, including new funding of $136.4 million over four years, for measures to significantly improve Australians’ access to life saving organ transplants.

In 2007, 198 Australians gave the ultimate gift by donating their solid organs. However, at the same time around 1,800 Australians are waiting for a solid organ transplant to save their lives or dramatically improve their quality of life.

The funding package will establish Australia as a world leader in best practice organ donation for transplantation through an integrated and comprehensive national reform package.

These evidence based reforms have been designed using international and national best practice models with a proven track record of maximising donation rates.

The Council of Australian Governments (COAG) endorsed the reform package on 3 July and agreed that the Commonwealth would lead implementation in partnership with states and territories.

Joint Media Release of the Prime Minister, Minister for Health and Ageing, and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health and Ageing [2 July 2008]

Joint Media Release of the Minister for Health and Ageing, and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health and Ageing [18 September 2008]

Joint Media Release of the Minister for Health and Ageing, and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health and Ageing [13 November 2008]

Factsheets - details of the World’s Best Practice Reform Package (PDF 85 KB)

Reform Package: Implementation

Appointment of CEO of Australian Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation Authority

Media Release of the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health and Ageing [23 December 2008]

New clinical roles to drive reform

The Commonwealth, state and territory governments are working together to implement a $151.1 million best practice reform package to establish Australia as a world leader in organ and tissue donation for transplantation.

The Australian Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation Authority will be established on 1 January 2009 to build a new national system in partnership with states and territories, clinicians and the community.

Our shared goal is to achieve a significant and lasting increase in the number of life-saving and transforming transplants for Australians.

A new network of medical specialists and senior nurses with dedicated responsibility for organ and tissue donation will be key to the success of this national effort. The network will be overseen by the new Authority, and in early 2009 states and territories will commence recruitment of:
• State/Territory Medical Directors of Organ and Tissue Donation who will drive change within their jurisdiction, ensuring consistency of practice, and report to the Authority on performance.
• Hospital-based Medical Directors of Organ and Tissue Donation. These positions will lead and drive effort at the local level within a new national model. They will be responsible and accountable for the process of organ and tissue donation, including educating hospital staff and obtaining consent from next of kin.
• Senior Nurses of Organ and Tissue Donation who will work closely with the hospital-based Medical Directors, particularly on vital education and awareness-raising.

Look out for these position advertisements in your state and territory in early 2009.

Until then, you can find out more about these exciting new roles below or by contacting:

NSW	Dr Kerry Chant	ph: (02) 9391 9185	e: kecha@doh.health.nsw.gov.au
Victoria	Mr Ashley Eccles	ph: (03) 9096 1316	e: ashley.eccles@dhs.vic.gov.au
	Ms Anne Johnston	ph: (03) 9096 0212	e: anne.johnston@dhs.vic.gov.au
Queensland	Ms Mandy Edwards	ph: (07) 3234 0352	e: Mandy_Edwards@health.qld.gov.au
	Ms Kim Gasson	ph: (07) 3234 1494	e: Kim_Gasson@health.qld.gov.au
WA	Ms Roslyn Elmes	ph: (08) 9346 7406	e: Roslyn.Elmes@health.wa.gov.au
SA	Dr Stephen Christley	ph: (08) 8226 6403	e: stephen.christley@health.sa.gov.au
Tasmania	Prof Anthony J Bell	ph: (03) 6222 7502	e: Anthony.bell@dhhs.tas.gov.au
ACT	Mr Mark Cormack	ph: (02) 6205 0823	e: mark.cormack@act.gov.au
NT	Dr Dianne Stephens	ph: (08) 8922 8888	e: dianne.stephens@nt.gov.au
Commonwealth	Ms Kim Delacy	ph (02) 6289 4623	e: kim.delacy@health.gov.au

Organ and Tissue Donation: clinical job opportunities- Advertisement (PDF 46 KB)
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State/Territory Medical Directors of Organ and Tissue Donation

Role and Responsibilities

State and Territory Medical Directors - Role and Responsibilities (PDF 29 KB)

Overarching principles

The State/Territory Medical Directors’ role and responsibilities reflect the overarching principles of the national reform package:
- A new, nationally consistent and coordinated approach and system for organ and tissue donation to boost the number of transplants for Australians;
- Increased, dedicated capacity within the health system to focus on organ and tissue donation; and
- The implementation in the Australian context of proven international and national best practice taking into account individual State and Territory legislative, structural and operational requirements to maximise success.

Full-time State Medical Directors of Organ and Tissue Donation will be appointed in each of the five mainland States. In ACT, NT and Tasmania, the responsibilities of this position will be part of the hospital-based Medical Director of Organ and Tissue Donation position rather than having nominal oversight provided by a larger jurisdiction.

Summary of role

These new positions will lead and coordinate State/Territory-wide efforts to improve organ and tissue transplantation rates for Australians. They will work closely with the Australian Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation Authority, which will be established on 1 January 2009, to ensure a nationally coordinated approach and consistency of practice within their jurisdiction.

The State/Territory-wide Medical Directors will be: accountable to an executive member of the health department or health service as applicable; will not be involved in day to day organ donation and tissue clinical practice within hospitals; and may not be based in hospitals.

Medical qualifications and previous clinical and managerial experience will be essential, but it will not be necessary for the incumbents to be practicing clinicians. While these are full time positions, up to 0.2 FTE time may be spent in clinical practice, research or academic work to attract quality candidates to the roles.

Responsibilities

The State/Territory Medical Directors of Organ and Tissue Donation will oversee organ and tissue donation processes and ensure consistency of practice within their jurisdictions. They will liaise with, and report to, the Australian Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation Authority on performance.

Specifically, the positions will be responsible and accountable for:
- overseeing state/territory level implementation of Authority operational planning by hospital-based Medical Directors of Organ and Tissue Donation, including standardised adoption of endorsed clinical protocols within emergency departments and intensive care units, and education and professional programs;
- providing peer support to, and coordinating, a state network of hospital-based Medical Directors of Organ and Tissue Donation;
- directing that jurisdiction’s Organ and Tissue Donation Agency from 1 July 2009, including ultimate responsibility for operational and financial management;
- being the main point of contact regarding organ and tissue donation processes and practice within that jurisdiction;
- reporting at a jurisdictional level against the performance targets and goals set by the Authority; and
- liaising with the jurisdiction’s Eye and Tissue Bank(s) and the transplantation and retrieval sectors.
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The State/Territory Medical Directors of Organ and Tissue Donation will have a central role as a communications channel between the hospital-based Medical Directors of Organ and Tissue Donation and the Authority. An example is to identify any performance issues within that jurisdiction/s’ hospitals and working within that jurisdiction or referring the matter to the Authority to lead a nationally coordinated solution.

Skills, experience and personal attributes:
• Leadership ability and values needed to inspire and drive significant change within the Australian healthcare sector;
• Proven experience in the clinical operation of public and/or private hospitals;
• Proven senior management experience in a complex health-related environment;
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills;
• Excellent communication, relationship and stakeholder management skills; and
• Direct experience in organ and tissue donation and/or transplantation or other relevant discipline.

A detailed position description will be available when the roles are advertised by states and territories in early 2009.

Summary

Funder: Commonwealth
Employer: State/Territory health department or health service as applicable
Accountable to: Relevant health department CEO or other senior officer or through health service as applicable. Functional link and performance reporting to the Australian Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation Authority.
Role: Monitor, and be accountable for, state and territory wide organ and tissue donation performance; Support and mentor hospital-based Medical Directors; and ensure alignment with nationally agreed protocols and procedures.
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Hospital-Based Medical Directors Of Organ And Tissue Donation

Role And Responsibilities

Hospital-based Medical Directors - Roles and Responsibilities (PDF 30 KB)

Overarching principles

The Hospital-based Medical Directors’ role and responsibilities reflect the overarching principles of the national reform package:
- A new, nationally consistent and coordinated approach and system for organ and tissue donation to boost the number of transplants for Australians;
- Increased, dedicated capacity within the health system to focus on organ and tissue donation; and
- The implementation in the Australian context of proven international and national best practice taking into account individual State and Territory legislative, structural and operational requirements to maximise success.

Summary of role

The Hospital-based Medical Directors’ primary focus is to lead and drive at the local level the national effort to increase organ and tissue donation across Australia.

The Hospital-based Medical Directors will be responsible and accountable for the process to optimise organ and tissue donation for transplantation, including the education of hospital staff and obtaining consent. Specifically the positions will be responsible for systems that will ensure:
• that all potential cadaveric donors are properly recognised and evaluated, and the opportunity for donation is available; and
• integrated management of the donation process to assure quality and national consistency of all procedures from donor identification to donor family follow up and aftercare.
The positions will be full time for at least the first six months to enable the incumbents to commence the implementation of nationally consistent systems, programs and processes within the hospital and to establish key networking channels. After this initial period the positions may have up to 0.5 FTE time spent in clinical practice, research or academic work to attract quality candidates to the roles and to ensure clinical skills are maintained.

Responsibilities

The Hospital-based Medical Directors will ensure that local hospital practice and systems are in line with nationally consistent policy and processes set by the Australian Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation Authority, which will be established on 1 January 2009. In essence they are the local champion and driver of all aspects of the process and must be seen as part of the hospital team. They will have professional working relationships with relevant hospital departments.
Specifically, Hospital-based Medical Directors will be responsible for:
• educating medical, nursing and allied health staff in intensive care units (ICU), emergency departments (ED) and the health institution as a whole in accordance with programs set by the Authority;
• implementing, monitoring and evaluation of national protocols and practices in their hospital;
• facilitating organ and tissue donation by working with hospital teams to identify potential donors and optimise actual donations;
• being the primary point of contact for the donor family and responsible for the consenting process with family members;
• championing the use of nationally consistent clinical triggers to improve the identification of potential organ and tissue donors;
• liaison between ICU, ED, Organ and Tissue Donation Agency staff, eye and tissue banks, transplant and retrieval teams, private hospitals, to manage barriers to organ and tissue donation;
• reporting against the performance targets and goals set by the Authority; and
• liaison with the jurisdictional Organ and Tissue Donation Agency for donor family support and follow up services such as bereavement counselling.
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Skills, experience and personal attributes
• Enthusiasm for organ and tissue donation
• Commitment to champion, educate and lead others to improve organ and tissue donation rates and outcomes;
• The leadership ability and values needed to inspire and drive significant change;
• Team spirit, leadership and peer esteem;
• Personal resilience and strength to overcome adversities and find solutions to complex problems;
• Ability to communicate with influence including active listening and ability to easily build rapport; and
• Advanced clinical skills (in intensive care, emergency medicine or another specialty connected with the donation process) with a strong interest / working knowledge of organ and tissue donation.

A detailed position description will be available when the roles are advertised by states and territories in early 2009.

Summary

Funding: Commonwealth
Employer: Hospital or health service as applicable
Report to:
• a senior administrator (eg hospital CEO) on a daily operational basis;
• to the State/Territory Medical Director in an organ and tissue donation program capacity, including performance and compliance with the national framework; and
• the National Authority’s National Medical Director in a professional/craft capacity.
Role:
• responsible and accountable for the process to optimise organ and tissue donation for transplantation;
- from driving the education of hospital staff;
- to obtaining consent;
• working with hospital staff to:
- identify potential donors; and
- ensure local hospital practice and systems are in line with nationally consistent policy and process; and
• local champion and driver of all aspects of the process.
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Senior Nurses – Organ and Tissue Donation

Role and Responsibilities

Senior Nurse - Roles and Responsibilities (PDF 29 KB)

Overarching principles

The role and responsibilities of the new Nursing roles reflect the overarching principles of the national reform package:
- A new, nationally consistent and coordinated approach and system for organ and tissue donation to boost the number of transplants for Australians;
- Increased, dedicated capacity within the health system to focus on organ and tissue donation; and
- The implementation in the Australian context of proven international and national best practice taking into account individual State and Territory legislative, structural and operational requirements to maximise success.
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Summary of role

The positions will be responsible for raising awareness of, and providing educational services on organ and tissue donation for all local hospital and outreach medical, nursing and allied health staff who come into contact with the donation process. They will also facilitate, under the direction of the local Hospital-based Medical Director, organ and tissue donation by working with hospital teams to identify and convert potential organ donors into actual donors.

Responsibilities

Senior Nurses – Organ and Tissue Donation will be employed in major metropolitan and regional hospitals that have the capacity for organ and tissue donation. The nature of these positions – including outreach and after hours work – will reflect the individual hospital’s: population demographics and catchment; geographical location; capacity for organ and tissue donation activity; and hospital outreach activities.

The positions will work with the local Hospital-based Medical Director for organ and tissue donation program responsibilities while retaining normal hospital professional reporting relationships.

Under the direction of the Medical Director the Senior Nurses will be responsible for:
• awareness raising and championing organ and tissue donation within the hospital;
• the development, support and education of local hospital staff in accordance with programs set by the Authority;
• championing the use of nationally consistent clinical triggers to improve the identification of potential organ donors;
• facilitating organ and tissue donation by working with hospital teams to identify and convert potential organ donors into actual donors;
• data collection and reporting against the performance targets and goals set by the Australian Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation Authority, which will be established on 1 January 2009; and
• ongoing liaison with the jurisdiction’s Organ and Tissue Donation Agency and State/Territory-wide Medical Director.

Skills, experience and personal attributes

• Commitment to champion, educate and lead others to improve organ and tissue donation rates and outcomes as part of a team;
• The ability and values needed to inspire and drive significant change;
• Personal resilience and strength to overcome adversities and, with the support of the Hospital-based Medical Director, find solutions to complex problems;
• Ability to communicate with influence including active listening;
• Excellent interpersonal skills, including the ability to easily build rapport with a diverse range of stakeholders; and
• A strong interest / working knowledge of organ and tissue donation clinical processes, legal and ethical issues.

A detailed position description will be available when the roles are advertised by states and territories in early 2009.
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Summary

Funder: Commonwealth
Employer: State/Territory health department or health service as applicable
Accountable to: Relevant Hospital-based Medical Director of Organ and Tissue Donation
Role: Work with the Hospital-based Medical Director in a range of organ and tissue processes and education and awareness raising in accordance with national programs and protocols

Reform Package: Implementation Update

Feedback from the sector following the announcement of the reform package has been very positive. Implementation of the reform package is on track, led by an experienced team dedicated to the task.

The Commonwealth will continue to consult with key stakeholders to develop more detail during implementation and keep the sector informed of its progress over the coming months through regular newsletters from the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health and Ageing.

Newsletter - Edition 1 - September 2008 (PDF 67 KB)

Cognate Committee on Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation

TThe Australian Government and all state and territory governments, through the Australian Health Ministers' Conference (AHMC), established a joint clinical, community and government group to advise governments and drive and oversee agreed reforms to lift our organ and tissue donation rates.

The ‘Cognate Committee’, so called to recognise the joint effort required to address this challenge, met for the first time on 22 April 2008.

Since its establishment, the work of the Cognate Committee on dedicated clinical specialists in hospitals, national clinical triggers for emergency departments and intensive care units, a paired kidney exchange program, and a donation after cardiac death policy framework have been taken up in the World’s Best Practice Reform Package for Organ and Tissue Donation for Transplantation.

As the new national governance arrangements endorsed by COAG supersede the Cognate Committee, Health Ministers agreed at their 22 July 2008 meeting, that the Cognate Committee will cease operating when the new national authority becomes operational.
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In the interim Health Ministers asked that the Cognate Committee finalises detailed technical advice for their consideration by the end of the year to inform the national implementation of three elements of the reform package: nationally consistent clinical trigger checklists to assist hospital staff to identify potential donors; a national framework for donation after cardiac death; and a national paired kidney exchange program.

The final face-to-face meeting of the Cognate Committee was held on 18 September 2008.

For media enquiries about the Cognate Committee and/or national organ and tissue donation or transplantation issues please contact the Department of Health and Ageing’s media unit on (02) 6289 5027.

Cognate Committee’s Terms of Reference (PDF 8 KB)

Cognate Committee Membership List (PDF 12 KB)

National Clinical Taskforce on Organ and Tissue Donation

The National Clinical Taskforce on Organ and Tissue Donation was established in October 2006 to provide advice on ways to improve the rate of safe, effective and ethical organ and tissue donation for transplantation in Australia. The Taskforce consulted extensively with clinical and community based experts throughout its term.

The Taskforce provided its final report to the Government on 14th February 2008.
National Clinical Taskforce on Organ and Tissue Donation - Final Report

The Taskforce had earlier delivered a mid-term report in June 2007.
Mid Term Report - June 2007 (PDF 406 KB)

If you are having problems downloading the reports please contact: acd.webmaster@health.gov.au

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