| Briefing on a national organ donor register Report of the Health Committee Contents Background 2 Organ donation 2 Current system of registering organ donation wishes 2 Training and education for medical staff 3 Organ Donation New Zealand 4 B RIEFING ON A NATIONAL ORGAN DONOR REGISTER 2 Briefing on a national organ donor register Background In November 2003 the Health Committee reported on petition 2002/25 of Andy Tookey and 1,169 others. 1 Our report made recommendations to the Government in response to the petitioner’s request for the House to take action to address the organ donation shortage in New Zealand. We noted our concerns about the current level of organ donation in New Zealand and the inadequacies of the current system for recording donor preferences. The Government response to our report did not support our recommendation that a dedicated national organ donor register be established to replace the current system, which is linked to the driver licensing system. The response suggested that we consider this issue further. To action this, we sought further information on a national organ donor register and received a briefing from the Ministry of Health. Organ donation Organ donation involves organs being transplanted from one person to another. 2 Organs can be transplanted from brain-dead persons or a living donor. We note the Minister of Health’s announcement of a plan to pay income support to living organ donors, who would be compensated for income lost as a result of donating an organ. It is intended that this plan will assist in increasing the number of organ donors in New Zealand. 3 The ministry is reviewing the regulation of human tissue and tissue-based therapy, including all uses of human tissue for both therapeutic and non-therapeutic purposes. Organ donation is one matter covered by this review. We do not want the issue of organ donation to wait while legislation is developed and would like to see it resolved expeditiously. Current system of registering organ donation wishes At present, the Land Transport Safety Authority of New Zealand collects information on those registering their wish to be organ donors after death as part of the driver licensing process. The authority’s database has more than 1.1 million people registered as donors. This donor information is available to designated health professionals 24 hours a day. The ministry is not able to access this information, and it is normally accessed only if a family is uncertain whether to consent to donation and the wishes of the person are not known by the family. 1 Report of Health Committee on Petition 2002/25 of Andy Tookey and 1,169 others. 2 Organs are tissues with specialised bodily functions and include the heart, liver, kidneys, lungs, skin, and pancreas. 3 The Press, "Organ donors help plan hailed", 21 August 2004. BRIEFING ON A NATIONAL ORGAN DONOR REGISTER 3 Difficulties with this model We consider that there are a number of difficulties with the current system of using the driver licensing system to record the wishes of individuals in relation to organ donation. Ideally, we would like to see a separate system that provides a central register that can be readily updated, is linked to the Primary Health Organisation data system, and is flexible enough to record specific wishes for organ use after death. The ministry is reviewing the regulation of human tissue and tissue-based therapy. We consider that, in the interim, other ways to enhance the existing indicative register should be explored, including registering organ donation intentions at the time of issue or renewal of a driver’s licence. Recommendation 1. We recommend to the Government that it proceed to investigate the option of an indicative register that records organ donation wishes, independent of its review of the regulation of human tissue and tissue-based therapy. Links between indicative register and hospital intensive care units We consider it is essential that there are sufficient links between an indicative register of organ donation intentions and hospitals, where these organs may be retrieved. We consider it is important that intensive care units have computer access to information about individuals’ wishes about organ use after death. Training and education for medical staff We noted in our previous report that appropriate training of medical staff is vital to increasing donation rates and recommended that the Government fund ongoing education for health professionals on organ donation. The Government’s response to the report supported, in principle, increasing the availability of such education to ensure that all professionals involved in organ donation receive such education within the next 3 years and continuous complete national coverage is maintained in the face of the ongoing turnover of personnel. The Government response also outlines the possibility of extending education about organ donation to the medical school curriculum. We strongly support these initiatives. Community education We consider that education is an important element in increasing the number of organ donors. Education about the issues of organ donation will facilitate discussion among family members about each other’s choice to donate or not to donate organs. Such education would help to improve communication amongst family members and ensure, in the event of death, that family members are clear about each other’s wishes in relation to the donation of organs. We are concerned about the legal implications of overriding an individual’s wish to offer organ donation, because we note that medical specialists inevitably adhere to the family’s instructions, regardless of a person’s indication on a driver’s licence. We consider that it is essential to undertake research on public opinion to establish both the level of awareness on this issue and whether people are willing to be organ donors. B RIEFING ON A NATIONAL ORGAN DONOR REGISTER 4 Recommendation 2. We recommend to the Government that it conduct random sample research to gauge public awareness and attitudes towards all organ donation options and methods for recording preferences. Organ Donation New Zealand We consider it imperative that funding for Organ Donation New Zealand is used to facilitate community and family education. Organ Donation New Zealand, due to be established in the 2004/05 financial year, will extend the current services of the National Transplant Donor Coordination Office. The office is currently funded at $254,266 a year, with additional funding for 2004/05 set at $212,500. In 2005/06 funding for Organ Donation New Zealand will total $679,266. Organ Donation New Zealand will remain under the auspices of the Auckland District Health Board, as is the National Transplant Donor Coordination Office. The ministry notes that extra staff will be appointed to Organ Donation New Zealand before the end of 2004 and a work programme will be designed once a medical director has been appointed. An advisory committee to Organ Donation New Zealand will be established in March 2005. Recommendation 3. We recommend to the Government that it review resources for Organ Donation New Zealand and ensure that resources are allocated to community and family education.
back to top
   | 
