Qld leads in organ donation
Queensland is now leading the nation, saving lives through organ donors and transplants.
It's been a remarkable turnaround.
A Seven News Right to Information investigation has revealed just 12 months ago we were coming last. There are 200 sick Queenslanders on the waiting list for organ transplants.
Chief Health officer Jeannette Young said for many Australians it was the only way that they could have a meaningful life.
"We very quickly implemented changes and we saw an increase in multi-organ donors," Ms Young said.
In 2010 the state government joined a national reform program aimed at finding organ donors and providing better hospital services.
But Queensland was left behind.
In Right to Information documents uncovered by Seven News a Queensland health briefing stated the donation rate "... has not increased since the introduction of the reform... whereas other states... particularly New South Wales and Victoria have seen an increase and are trending above their population rate".
Of the 309 organ donors across Australia in 2010 just 49 were from Queensland.
Assistant minister for Health Chris Davis said "we're now per population, actually leading the way".
"Queenslanders can be assured now that their chance of getting an organ is comparable to that across the country," Mr Davis said.
In 2011 specialist doctors and nurses were employed at 15 of the states largest hospitals to "work with other clinicians to identify all of those people who when they died were potential multi-organ donors," according to Jeannette Young.
"It's very very important that families speak together about what their individual views are," she said.
The figure of 49 donors in 2010 jumped to 67 in 2011.
While the rapid improvement can be put down to better resources, the actual number of people willing to register as donors has barely increased at all.
Health authorities are again appealing to people to sign up.
You can register to be a donor through medicare or log onto www.donatelife.gov.au and fill out the details there.
