Health Secretary Shona Robison has called on people across Scotland to have a ‘wee chat’ about organ donation with their friends and family in 2015.
The call comes as new research shows almost half of Scots (45 per cent) haven’t discussed their organ donation wishes with their family.
Although many think joining the NHS Organ Donor Register is enough, sharing organ donation wishes remains fundamental to relatives honouring a loved one’s choices in the event of their death.
Of those polled, one in ten (12 per cent) of those who said they were on the Register said they hadn’t talked about their organ donation wishes with their friends and family.
Ms Robison called on all Scots to make a resolution this New Year to discuss their organ donation choices with loved ones.
She said: “I have been on the Register for a number of years now, but I also know that I need to discuss these wishes with my family to ensure they honour my wishes in the event of my death.
“Having that conversation with loved ones is so vital, and I’d encourage everyone to make having a ‘wee chat’ their New Year’s resolution for 2015.
“Understandably, organ donation isn’t something that comes up in everyday conversation, but the reality is that your family are twice as likely to agree to donation if they know it’s what you would have wanted.
“We also know that in the last five years, almost two thirds of those who donated their organs weren’t on the NHS Organ Donor Register.
“We want to reach those people who haven’t thought about organ donation or haven’t decided either way. If you’ve made the positive decision to be an organ donor, please make the time to share that decision with those close to you.”
The research, carried out as part of the Organ Donation Scotland campaign, shows that of those who haven’t had the chat, only six per cent stated they weren’t going to - two thirds (66 per cent) haven’t thought about it, and a fifth (20 per cent) haven’t decided either way.
Recent figures highlighted around 90 more lives could be saved each year if family authorisation rates for organ donation increase – and the Organ Donation Scotland campaign is encouraging people who have made the positive decision to be an organ donor to tell their family and friends.
Since 2010/11, the family authorisation rate for organ donation – when a family member agrees that donation can proceed - has increased from 57.1 per cent to 61.6 per cent. If the rate was to further increase to 80 per cent, around 90 more lives could be saved each year.
In Scotland, there are currently 540 people waiting on a life-saving transplant. Although Scotland has made huge strides in organ donation and transplantation with a 62 per cent increase in transplants since 2007/8 and 41 per cent of Scots now on the NHS Organ Donor Register, getting more people talking could make a huge difference to those still waiting.
