Select Committee Report - Organ donor register

Select Committee Report

21 Sep 2004

The Health Select Committee have today released their report into an Organ Donor Register. (enclosed)

The Committee originally recommended a register in response to my petition, the register was rejected by the government who sent it back to the committee to investigate further.

In the meantime I have been heavily lobbying the committee to once again recommend a register, or similar system, such as adding your wishes to your NHI number record which would enable you to update your wishes frequently.

I also expressed my concern to the committee that the MOH had included organ donation under the umbrella of the review of the human tissue act 1964 and suggested that it be seperate from this.

Other concerns were that even if we have a register doctor's are not taking notice of it but are going with the wishes of the family. (I note in the document from Te Puni Kokiri on the guide to organ donation for Maori the doctor does not even have to ask, organ donation will NOT proceed if the doctor THINKS the family MAY object.

I am pleased with the enclosed report, they have recommended all the things I have been pushing for, It's been three years of hard work to get this far. But there is much more to do, making the donors wishes legally binding is my next mission....

ENDS

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