Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to promote the donation of blood, organs and other organic materials.

NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) is the organ donation organisation for the United Kingdom and is funded by the Department and the Devolved Administrations. Its remit also includes the provision of a reliable efficient supply of blood in England and North Wales, and providing tissues to the National Health Service.

NHSBT actively campaigns to promote public awareness about the importance of organ and tissue donation and transplantation and to encourage people to join the NHS Organ Donor Register (ODR). Underpinning NHSBT’s work to promote organ donation is encouraging people to join the ODR and then to let their loved ones know that they have made a decision to donate. Encouraging this conversation is important as families are more likely to agree to donation if they know that is what their loved one wanted.

The Department has also worked to raise general awareness of persistent inequalities people from a Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) background face when trying to find a suitable bone marrow or organ donor and supports the work of the National BAME Transplant Alliance. Launched in 2012, this group helps to coordinate the work of BAME organisations promoting donation.

The UK’s health administrations, many charities, community groups and hospitals also work hard to promote organ and tissue donation and NHSBT work collaboratively with them wherever possible.

NHSBT regularly campaigns to encourage more of the eligible population, including from the BAME community to donate blood. Although blood stocks are currently in a healthy position, there is always a need for new donors to fill the gaps left by existing donors who are no longer able to give blood - to ensure that we have the right mix of blood groups to match patients’ needs. NHSBT co-ordinates local and national awareness campaigns, such as the current ‘Bleed for England’ campaign, which are intended to motivate thousands of people to start donating blood.

In addition, the Department funds the national Gamete Donation Trust through a contract to provide a range of services to promote gamate donation and support the recruitment and retention of egg and sperm donors, which helps infertile couples.