Organ Donors’ Register (P.89/2013): comments.

STATES OF JERSEY

ORGAN DONORS' REGISTER (P.89/2013): COMMENTS

Presented to the States on 9th September 2013 by the Minister for Health and Social Services

STATES GREFFE

2013   Price code: A  P.89 Com.

COMMENTS

Proposition P.89/2013 is presented in 2 parts and calls for the Health and Social Services Department to undertake 2 specific pieces of work.

Part 1

The first, to create a dedicated Organ Donor Register for Jersey, is based on an assumption that this will improve levels of organ donor registration and, with it, increase the number of organ donations.

However, following discussion with the National Organ Donation Register and with leading clinicians in Jersey and the UK, they have advised against such a proposition, amid  serious  concerns  that  this  would,  potentially,  hinder  rather  than  help  organ donation.

Based on that guidance, the Minister for Health and Social Services does not support Part 1 of the proposition to create a Jersey Organ Donor Register, in that it raises a number of issues including, but not limited to –

• Registration would not be legally binding outside of Jersey, e.g. if a Jersey donor were to die in the UK
• Donors would need also to register on the National Organ Donor Register in the UK
• Any proposals to link the 2 registers would require Data Protection issues to be addressed
• Monitoring, management and administration of the Register would need to be sufficiently robust to ensure that any and all amendments were actioned to eliminate the risk of irretrievable mistakes being made
• A Jersey Register would add another layer of bureaucracy to organ donation procedures
• A Jersey Donor Register would not categorically increase organs available for Jersey residents.

The cost of operating, and particularly implementing, an Organ Donation Register, with the necessary initial legal work, would be significant, potentially in excess of £100,000.

Part 2

The second part of Proposition P.89/2013 seeks a high-level review of organ donation in Jersey, with a view to presenting recommendations for improvement in the future. The Minister for Health and Social Services fully supports aspirations to increase organ donation in Jersey and encourage more Islanders to register as organ donors. To that end, she endorses Part 2 of the proposition.

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It is important to acknowledge that, should the Review recommend any significant legislative change to the way organ donation is managed in Jersey in the future, it is likely that this will demand significant investment, both in funding and resources, by the States of Jersey.

Nevertheless, an initial high-level review of current policy and procedures, together with  options  for  enhancing  awareness  of  organ  donation  in Jersey,  will  assist  in identifying both opportunities and obstacles to increasing organ donor registration and organ donation.

This may include, but not be limited to –

• Consideration of an opt-out system for Jersey
• Sustaining local publicity to further support national Organ Donor awareness events and campaigns
• Organ Donor registration linked to Jersey Driving Licence applications.

The Minister for Health and Social Services would encourage States Members to reject Part 1, but to support Part 2 of the Proposition.

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