Tasmania Reaches Highest Ever Number of Organ Donors
Parliamentary Sectary for Health and Ageing Catherine King has commended the Royal Hobart Hospital on their significant contribution to Tasmania achieving the highest annual organ donation outcome since national records began.
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Joint Release
The Hon Catherine King MP
Parliamentary Secretary for Health and Ageing
The Hon Michelle O'Byrne MP
Tasmania
Minister for Health
15 November 2012Parliamentary Sectary for Health and Ageing Catherine King today commended the Royal Hobart Hospital on their significant contribution to Tasmania achieving the highest annual organ donation outcome since national records began.
During her visit to the Royal Hobart Hospital today, Ms King said “Year to date (as at October 2012), the generous act of organ donation from 15 deceased Tasmanian donors and their families has resulted in 55 organs transforming the lives of 51 Australian transplant recipients.”
“To the donor families who upheld the donation wish of a loved one and made this possible, I thank you.”
Tasmanian Health Minister Michelle O’Byrne said the Royal Hobart Hospital, Tasmania’s largest hospital, plays host to the majority of organ donation activity in the state accounting for 12 of the 15 donation procedures for 2012 to date.
Ms O’Byrne said, “I congratulate the hospital and DonateLife TAS network staff on their continued and committed effort to increase family consent rates through the delivery of a professional clinical and medical program.
“The DonateLife team is providing essential support to families in a very difficult situation, sensitively helping them to make an informed decision about organ and tissue donation.”
Increasing family consent rates in Australia is vital in ensuring that organ and tissue donation for transplantation outcomes continue to rise. This is because in Australia the family will always be asked to confirm the donation wishes of the deceased before donation for transplantation can proceed.
Ms King went on to say, “Encouragingly, we know that a high 77% of Australians have now discussed their donation wishes with family members, but 44% remain unsure or don’t know their family members’ wishes.”
“Around 40% of families say no to organ donation, in part because they didn’t know if their loved one wanted to be an organ donor. This statistic alone highlights why it is imperative that every Australian family ask and know each other’s donation wishes.”
Ms King said that the outcome for Tasmania shows that the Australian government's national reform agenda to boost organ and tissue donation rates continues to have an impact, acknowledging that there is still much to be done to sustain this increase.
“I urge you to start the conversation with your loved one today – one organ and tissue donor can transform the lives of ten or more people. Families that know the wishes of the deceased are much more likely to uphold their loved one’s donation decision in the event they ever find themselves in that situation.”
Media Contacts:
Catherine King’s Office 02 6277 4230
Michelle O’Byrne’s Office 0459 801 969
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