Organ Donation Register
This content has been automatically generated from the original PDF and some formatting may have been lost, therefore it should not be relied upon to extract citations or propose amendments. Please see the PDF for the official version of the document.
1240/5(8346)
WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE MINISTER FOR HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES BY DEPUTY R.G. LE HÉRISSIER OF ST. SAVIOUR
ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON TUESDAY 3rd JUNE 2014
Question
In the light of the States approval of P.89/2013 entitled Organ Donor's Register' on 24th September 2013, can the Minister identify when the report reviewing the current policy in respect of organ donations and recommendations for improvement will be published and cite who has been consulted in its compilation?
Answer
The review of organ donation registration in Jersey is underway and is being focused in two keys areas, to enable the department to respond to Proposition P89/2013.
The first and most prominent element of the review is aiming to focus attention on raising awareness of organ donation, with a view to encouraging more people to sign up as organ donors. This is being based around a high profile public relations campaign, the launch of which is being planned to coincide with National Transplant week, July 8-14th.
Running in parallel with the promotional and awareness campaign is the more complex review of how organ donation in Jersey is managed, and whether alternative donor registration options – such as Soft or Hard Opt-out' legislation - should be considered as viable options for the island in the longer term.
Inevitably, this element of the review is complex, with any proposals for significant change being both publicly and politically sensitive. Consideration of the options, and the implications of implementing any major change, requires the expertise of specialists on the front line in managing organ donation – both in Jersey and in the UK – to ensure the Assembly is in a position to make an informed decision about the future of organ donation in Jersey.
As such, the department is in the process of setting up a small group, which includes clinical expertise and representatives of the UK Blood Transfusion Service and National Organ Donor Register, to look at the issues. It is my intention to bring an interim report back to the States, as agreed, by the end of the year.
Given Deputy Le Hérissier's ongoing interest in this issue, I am hopeful he will agree to become involved in the development of the awareness strategy and in supporting the group's considerations of options and any recommendations for the future.
Contribution to both elements of the review has, and will continue to involve multiple sources including a local Organ Donation Charitable Committee (the Love Hearts Appeal), Parish Councils on the involvement of driving license administration, the NHSBT, Education, Sport& Culture, local clinicians and the media.
This is not an exhaustive list, and the Strategy being developed to priorities the awareness campaign will help to identify other consultation opportunities that may assist in taking this important piece of work forward.