175 people in Wiltshire and Hampshire waiting for kidney transplant with figure set to rise
Plea to share organ donation decision and consider living donation
Last updated 10th Mar 2022
Kidney transplants have been the hardest hit area of organ transplantation throughout the pandemic, prompting a call for people in Wiltshire and Hampshire to share their organ donation decision and to consider living kidney donation.
Stats show deceased donor transplants were down 22% and living donor transplants down 60% - an overall drop in kidney transplants of 32% in 2020/21, compared to 2019/2020
This means around 1,100 fewer patients received a kidney transplant last year compared to the previous 12 months.
The plea on World Kidney Day comes as figures show more than 4,600 people are waiting across the UK including 52 patients in Wiltshire and 123 in Hampshire.
They may have to wait longer for transplant as the waiting list has increased.
What is a living donor transplant?
Living donor transplantation opens up opportunities for patients wating for a kidney transplant by minimising the time people need to rely on dialysis and by offering patients who wait the longest i.e. those who are most difficult to match, are particularly ‘sensitised’ (which means they have higher levels of antibodies which could cause their body to reject a transplanted organ) or are from a Black, Asian or minority ethnic background, the chance of a successful transplant.
People can donate a kidney in life to a particular individual (a relative, friend or someone they know who is in need of a transplant) or choose to donate anonymously where their kidney will either go to a high priority patient on the transplant list or create a chain of transplants via the UK living kidney sharing scheme.
Talk to your family
Living donation is not for everyone and some people are not suitable donors, so the majority of kidney patients will still be saved by a deceased organ donor. It is more important than ever to tell your family about your organ donation decision to help those on the waiting list.
Even though the law around organ donation has now changed to an opt out system across England, Wales, and Scotland, many people are still not aware that families will still always be consulted before organ donation goes ahead.
Anthony Clarkson, Director of Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation, at NHS Blood and Transplant, says:
“We know the pandemic is a very worrying time for kidney patients as thousands of people, including 52 patients in Wiltshire, wait for a life-changing kidney transplant.
“We’re pleased that transplant activity is now recovering and we’re doing everything we can to enable as many transplants as possible to take place as quickly as possible.
“Sadly patients are facing a longer wait and more people need a kidney transplant, so it is more important than ever for people in Wiltshire to share their organ donation decision with their family to help others after their death. And if anyone in Wiltshire is willing to consider living kidney donation, they can find out more on our website.”
For more information, or to register your organ donation decision, please visit: www.organdonation.nhs.uk or call 0300 123 23 23. NHS app users can also use the service to record, check or update their organ donation decision.