Evidence to Petitions Committee 4 October 2007 "WALES NEEDS WAKE UP CALL"

KIDNEY WALES FOUNDATION EVIDENCE TO WELSH ASSEMBLY MEMBERS

Kidney Wales asked the Chair of the Committee Val Lloyd AM and members Andrew RT Davies AM, Peter Black AM and Bethan Jenkins AM to:

Firstly, refer the Petition and proceedings with their deliberations to the Minister for Heath and Social Services so as to inform her Department ‘s Budget which we understand has not been settled and that KW work with her Department.


Secondly, ask the appropriate Committee of the Assembly to consider our evidence further and for that committee to seek further evidence that value for money would be better obtained by the Government in Wales and UKT working with charities like Kidney Wales Foundation.


Thirdly, for the Assembly under our People like Us Campaign to consider the need for more joined up policies on the issue of the organ donor register and presumed consent.

UK as a whole, with a population of 60 million, carried out 3000 transplants during 2006/2007 compared to only 102 for Wales (89 in Cardiff and 13 in Liverpool) – with a population of 3 million. In simple comparative terms 50 less in average per year than the UK. Wales needs a wake up call. What a difference 50 more per year could make to Wales.

Petitions Committee 4 October 2007

Kidney Wales Foundation to give evidence at 12 30pm

Pictured Val Lloyd AM Chair of Committee

The Kidney Wales Foundation (known for many years as KRUF) was established in 1967. In its 40 year history it has, through a thriving fund raising base, supported many aspects of kidney patient care in Wales including transplantation. In addition Kidney Wales played a major role in getting an organ donor card attached to the new driving licence and was instrumental in setting up Lifeline Wales – a computer register of people willing to be organ donors in the event of their death.

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The current level of organ donation in Wales is too low. Many people wish that on their death their organs be used to save the lives of others but have not opted in to the current system. Kidney Wales endorses the suggestion by the Chief Medical Officer for England and the campaign by BMA Wales for a system of presumed consent. Even with improved conventional donation rates the case for presumed consent remains a strong one to vastly increase the availability of organs to meet growing demand.mpaign” aims to demonstrate the need for improved services for kidney patients in Wales and is championed by those patients themselves. The evidence we present below is informed by the experiences and views of those in Wales who live with kidney disease every day.

Petitions Committee of the Assembly

Kidney Wales Foundation as part of the PLUS Campaign will attend the new Petitions Committee of the Assembly chaired by Val Lloyd AM (pictured) on 4 October at 12 30pm.

To the National Assembly for Wales:
PETITION BY KIDNEY WALES TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF ORGAN DONORS IN WALES
We, the undersigned, declare the need to increase the number of people in Wales who carry organ donor cards.
We support the assertion in the recently published Welsh Assembly Government statement ‘Designed to Tackle Renal Disease’ that “The supply of donor kidneys… does not match the demand and as a result there is an ever-increasing waiting list for such treatment.”
20 to 22% of the eligible population in Wales is registered on the NHS Organ Donor Register, though 70% of the Welsh population has indicated they would be prepared to be involved in such a scheme.
We, the undersigned, recognise that a united campaign is needed to increase the number of potential organ donors through continued investment in publicity and in education campaigns to increase public awareness of the need for organ donation, to encourage people to enrol on the organ donor register and to make their wishes known to those close to them.
Kidney Wales Foundation has historically been instrumental in promoting organ donation in Wales and wishes to continue to highlight the importance of organ donation
The petitioner(s) therefore request/call on that the National Assembly for Wales to work with Kidney Wales Foundation and other stakeholders to set and achieve a target of doubling kidney donors in Wales by the end of this National Assembly in 2011.
We request that the Assembly match our funding for a campaign by matching our contribution pound for pound.