Organ donation falls across Yorkshire as 491 people wait for life-saving transplants

A total of 106 people gave the gift of life by donating their organs after death, according to the Organ Donation and Transplantation Activity Report 2018/19.

This is a fall of 18 per cent on the previous 12 months when 130 people across the region donated organs after their death.

The latest figures show 39 people donated life-saving organs in North Yorkshire, followed by 35 in West Yorkshire, 28 in South Yorkshire and four in East Yorkshire.

Nationally, there was a record number of organ donors, with 1,600 people saving lives through deceased organ donation over the last year.

The report published by NHS Blood and Transplant also shows that across the UK, fewer people died in circumstances where they were able to donate their organs – 225 fewer than in 2017/18.

Anthony Clarkson, director of organ donation and transplantation at NHS Blood and Transplant, said: “We’re incredibly grateful to all the courageous donors and their families across the country, who helped us to save so many lives last year.

“Organ donation is the only hope for many desperately-ill people. We know many families feel a sense of pride and comfort from their decision to let their final act to be saving lives through organ donation. No lifesaving transplant would be possible without the generosity of every donor and their families, who give their support and say ‘yes’ to organ donation.”

Over the last five years, 146 people across Yorkshire died before they received the organ they desperately needed.

In West Yorkshire, 82 people died before getting a lifesaving organ. North Yorkshire saw 54 deaths, South Yorkshire 45 and East Yorkshire 10.

Organ donation is a relatively rare event in the UK, because although around 500,000 people die each year, only around one per cent do so in circumstances which would allow organ donations.

Figures released today show there are currently 491 people across Yorkshire waiting for an organ transplant.

There are 242 people in West Yorkshire currently on the organ donor waiting list. South Yorkshire has 112 people waiting, North Yorkshire has 107 and East Yorkshire has 30 people.

From spring 2020, the law around organ and tissue donation in England is changing.

All adults in England will be considered as having agreed to donate organs when they die unless they record a decision not to donate or are in one of the excluded groups.

Mr Clarkson said: “There are 491 people across Yorkshire waiting for a transplant now. Their only hope for a new life is that a family in their time of grief will make the wonderful decision to agree to organ donation.

“With the law around organ donation changing, we urge everyone to find out about the choices available to them.”