NHS campaign urges Scots to talk about organ and tissue donation choice
The appeal is urging people to record their choice on the NHS Organ Donor Register.
An NHS campaign is encouraging people across Scotland to record their decision about organ and tissue donation and to make it known to family and friends.
More than 2.9 million people in Scotland have recorded their decision about organ and tissue donation, but new figures from the NHS Organ Donor Register show that 43% of people (four in 10 Scots) are yet to do so.
In honour of Organ Donation Week, which runs from September 21-27, the Scottish Government’s “Don’t leave your loved ones in doubt” appeal is urging people to record their choice on the donor register.
“Organ donation is a truly life-changing gift,” Public Health Minister Maree Todd said.
“This organ and tissue donation week, I encourage people across Scotland to record their choice on the NHS Organ Donor Register and make their decision known to their loved ones.”
Ms Todd continued: “Whilst these conversations aren’t always easy, they are important. By clearly sharing your decision on organ and tissue donation with those close to you, you can ensure they understand your wishes and help give others a chance of a better life.”
People in Scotland aged 16 and over can choose to be a donor, or to opt out.
If someone does not record a decision, it may be assumed that they agree to become a donor if they die in circumstances where donation is possible, unless they are part of an excluded group or if donation would be against their beliefs.
This year, Organ Donation Week coincides with National Eye Health Week, which shines a light on cornea donation specifically – a decision that sits alongside, but is sometimes overlooked within, the wider donation choice.
With a significant number of people in Scotland waiting for a life-saving transplant, the campaign highlights the importance of making a choice, recording that choice on the NHS Organ Donor Register and ensuring loved ones understand it.
“Our clinical teams see first-hand the extraordinary impact that organ and tissue donation makes to the lives of patients and their families, witnessing the hope and renewed opportunities that donation can bring,” Joanne Brooks, a lead nurse on the NHS Scotland Organ Donation Team, said.
“Organ and tissue donation is one of the most generous gifts a person can give. It has the power to transform and save lives. At the heart of every donation is the remarkable kindness of donors and the support of their families, whose decision makes these life-changing transplants possible.”