§ Mr. Kevin HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how he intends primary care trusts to use the guidance set out in the Transplant Framework for England, Saving Lives, Valuing Donors, to tackle organ donation among ethnic minorities. [144894]
§ Ms Rosie WintertonThe Department continues to explore concerns about the relatively low rate of organ donation with ethnic minority communities. The South Asian Campaign was launched in February 1999 specifically to raise awareness within the South Asian community which is prone to kidney disease. A campaign launched in 2002 is targeting the black community, which has similar problems. The Department also funded the National Kidney Research Fund to explore methods of raising awareness in local ethnic minority communities. Primary care trusts will be able to build on these programmes to develop and monitor local initiatives.
§ Mr. Jim CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what changes have been made to transplant services since 2001. [145425]
§ Ms Rosie WintertonSince 2001 the Department has provided around £7 million via UK Transplant to boost organ donation through the employment of
35 donor liaison nurses working with staff in critical units to help identify potential donors;23 living donor co-ordinators working with families considering live donation;10 non-heartbeating programmes to increase the number of organs from non-heartbeating donors.The number of transplants taking place since 2001 has increased. In 2002–03 the changes led to 6 per cent. more kidney transplants; 6 per cent. more liver transplants; 12 per cent. more cornea transplants; and 5 per cent. more thoracic transplants.
But it is not only Government which saves lives through transplantation. "Saving Lives, Valuing Donors"—A Transplant Framework for England, published on 7 July 2003, identifies the part the Government, individuals, the national health service and other stakeholders can play in:
encouraging people to donate organs and tissues;raising the quality and effectiveness of transplant services;improving the clinical outcomes and quality of life of people who receive an organ or tissue transplant;increasing the supply of viable organs and tissues for transplantation.
§ Mr. Jim CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to ensure there is a transplant co-ordinator in every hospital. [145426]
§ Ms Rosie WintertonAll hospitals with transplant services have recipient transplant co-ordinators in post to care for those patients who receive transplants.
212WIn addition, there are currently 100 donor co-ordinators based in 21 teams across the United Kingdom and there are 35 donor liaison nurses who are part of the donor co-ordinator team based in intensive care units.