Open Council
24 July 2009
Agenda Item: 09.60
Response to the RCN
consultation on the issue of
organ donation
1.
Purpose
1.1
The purpose of this paper to Council is to provide background information on
the current RCN position on organ donation, the reasons for consulting with
members on this issue, a full analysis of the results and the views of
respondents as to the potential implications for nursing practice.
1.2
Council are asked to consider the College position on organ donation and are
asked to choose one of the following options:
Option A: To support the retention of the current system which is an opt in
system (see Appendix 1 of the organ donation paper and options 1 and 7).
Option B: To support a change in the law to allow the introduction of a
‘harder’ opt in system for organ donation, and indicating a preference for one
of the specific forms of ‘hard’ opt in system (see Appendix 1 of the organ
donation paper and options 4, 5a, 5b and 6).
Option C: To support a change in the law to allow the introduction of an opt
out system for organ donation and indicating a preference for one of the
specific forms of opt out system (see Appendix 1 of the organ donation paper
and options 2a, 2b, 3a and 3b).
Additional Note:
Council should note that respondents to the consultation indicated their
broad support for an opt in or opt out system, however only a small
number (less than 10%) indicated a preference for a specific type of opt in
or opt out system (as listed in Appendix 1). Therefore if Council are
minded to adopt either options B or C then further consultation with
members would be required to seek views on the more specific options.
Option D: To support either options A, B or C and/or closely monitor
progress against the Organ Donation Taskforce Report recommendations
up to 2013. At this stage Council would be asked to consider if there was a
need to change the RCN’s position in light of the progress against the Organ
Donation Taskforce recommendations.
2.
Background
2.1
In January 2009 the RCN launched a membership wide consultation on the
issue of organ donation in light of the wider public debate and presence on the
UK agenda. The aim of the consultation was to identify the main challenges for
increasing organ donation and to determine the extent to which measures can
be taken to help address these challenges. Over the past decades, the number
of organs donated in the UK has risen steadily, however despite these results,
the shortage of donors has remained an obstacle to further progress.
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Open Council
24 July 2009
Agenda Item: 09.60
The RCN’s previous discussion on the issue
2.2
At a debate on organ donation at the 2008 Congress there was
acknowledgment of the emotive nature of the issue of changing to an opt out
system. A resolution – ‘that this meeting of RCN Congress opposes any
attempt to make consent to organ donation presumed’ – was defeated by a
show of hands from the Congress floor. There was no count of the vote.
2.3
The results of the consultation are presented to assist the RCN Council in
considering the College position on organ donation. The RCN does not
currently have a stated position on organ donation
3.
Discussions for Council to consider the RCN position on organ donation
3.1
In total, 150 members participated in the consultation and 55 individual
responses were received. Of the individual responses, 57% were against an
opt out system and 43% were for an opt out system. A full analysis of
responses is included in the paper.
3.2
In considering the attached paper and options proposed, Council may wish to
discuss the following questions:

What are the practical challenges for nursing in increasing organ donation
under any system?

Would a change in College position jeopardise the nurse/patient relationship?

Does the presumed initial position of “opt in” or “opt out” have a perceived
prioritisation of the donor or the recipient patient?

Would a change in College position complement the nurse/family
relationship? Nurses are often the first point of contact and the first
professionals to broach the subject of donation with the families of potential
donors.
4.
UK-wide/Four country perspective
4.1
The Welsh Assembly Government has published results of a consultation
which indicates clear public preference for an “opt out” or mandate system. A
further consultation in Wales closes on 3 August 2009.
5.
Strategic plan
5.1
This response to a membership wide consultation will strengthen the RCN as
the leading authority on nursing in health and social care.
Originators: Howard Catton, Head of Policy Development and Implementation
Stuart Abrahams, Policy Adviser
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