Organ donation discussions to become automatic to drive up Victorian transplant rates

A RADICAL overhaul of Victoria’s organ donation system will see all suitable patients considered as donors and their families approached about their wishes regardless of whether their loved one is on the organ register or not.

A RADICAL overhaul of Victoria’s organ donation system will see all suitable patients considered as donors and their families approached about their wishes regardless of whether their loved one is on the organ register or not.

The Andrews Government will today announce the new “automatic assessment” approach will be rolled out across the state to drive an increase in organ donation and the number of lives saved.

It follows a successful trial of the system at the Royal Melbourne Hospital which resulted in a sharp climb in donation rates.

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Elle Richards at Royal Melbourne Hospital with nurses Olivia Sampson and Melissa Picture: Alex Coppel

Under the new approach all patients facing end of life in public hospital emergency departments or intensive care units will be automatically referred to transplant experts at DonateLife.

If a dying patient is deemed clinically suitable to become a donor, doctors will approach their family for the highly-sensitive discussion — regardless of whether they are on the organ donation registry.

While families will always have the power to determine if their loved ones become donors, Health Minister for Health Jill Hennessy said the more targeted approach would identify more potential donors.

“Too often, we miss the small window of opportunity we have to identity suitable organ donors that can save lives. We’re fixing that, so that more Victorians get a second chance,” she said.

The changes come after the state opposition pledged to return to a system where Victorians were asked to register as an organ donor when renewing their driver’s licence, as well new campaigns to push up numbers.

An organ donor being prepped for surgery. Picture: Jeff Camden

Victoria has the nation’s highest deceased organ transplant rates despite having a lower ratio of citizens registered as donors.

The RMH adopted the automatic assessment model in 2017 to identify a record 37 donors, which it has already surpassed in the first 10 months of 2018.

The head of RMH’s intensive care unit, Assoc Prof Chris MacIsaac, said

“It is such a rare gift. Not many people who die in hospital are actually eligible to be considered for organ donation,” he said.

“We are trying to do our best because it is probably the only good that can come out of many tragedies … it can provide comfort to grieving families.

“On the flip side, it can provide miraculous transplantation for the recipients.”

Elle Richards, 30, is one of those to benefit from the change after recently gaining a kidney from a deceased donor at RMH.

“It is going amazingly and the doctors are all ecstatic, telling me I have been blessed,” she said.

“They (the donor and their family) have given me another chance at life. I could never repay the gift they have given me, the opportunity they have afforded me to live a normal life.”

For more information or to register as an organ donor visit donatelife.gov.au.