HC Deb 24 May 1995 vol 260 cc597-8W
Mrs. Beckett

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what training programmes have been initiated for doctors in respect of requesting permission from relatives prior to organ donation. [25881]

Mr. Sackville

Much is being done by hospitals in education of their staff about organ donation and approaches to bereaved relatives, including bereavement counselling. As part of this the Government, following consultation with the royal colleges, are piloting a programme of information and training for doctors and nurses working in intensive care units development by the European donor hospital education programme.

Mrs. Beckett

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the proposed national registration day to promote the national computerised registration system for organ donors. [25889]

Mr. Sackville

We will as usual be supporting the publicity activities organised by the group of charities known as "Transplants in Mind" during its National Transplant Week which is held each year in conjunction with the British Transplant Games in July. This year their activities will focus on the national health service organ donor register.

Mrs. Beckett

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what support her Department has provided for the national computerised registration scheme for organ donors; what is its advertising budget; and what has been the expenditure to date on information packs. [25882]

Mr. Sackville

The Department set up the national health service organ donor register in October 1994. In addition to funding the cost of setting up and maintaining the Register, which is held at the United Kingdom Transplant Support Service Authority, we spent £1.53 million in 1994–95 on publicity material and activities to promote the register. It is planned to spend a similar sum in the current year. This has included national, regional and local newspaper advertisements and the production of 10 million information leaflets—"Life Don't Keep it to Yourself"—containing registration forms of which more than 7 million have already been distributed. About £7,500 was spent on producing 20,200 copies of the "NHS Organ Register and General Practitioners" booklet which were sent to every general practice in England. The United Kingdom Transplant Support Service Authority has also produced an information leaflet for the general public and a resources and an information pack for the transplant community.