The number of organ donation decisions registered through the NHS App has increased by over 20% in the past year, reaching a total of 546,825. This surge in registrations, which was highlighted during Organ Donation Week, saw 98,263 new decisions made between September 2022 and August 2023. Overall, organ donation preferences have been managed 4.1 million times through the NHS App. This increase in registrations is crucial in helping NHS specialist nurses quickly understand people’s wishes surrounding organ donation, potentially saving lives.
Martin O’Neil, the delivery director for the NHS App, expressed his encouragement at the rise in organ donation decisions registered through the app. With over 7,000 patients actively waiting for a transplant, the increase in registrations is seen as a positive development. O’Neil emphasized the importance of making such a decision and praised the NHS App for enabling patients to manage their preferences and access healthcare easily. With more than 32 million sign-ups across England, the app has become a valuable tool for people of all ages to manage their health conveniently.
Vin Diwakar, the national director for transformation at NHS England, acknowledged organ transplantation as a significant achievement of modern medicine, with nearly 4,600 transplants conducted in the UK last year. However, with over 7,000 individuals currently on the waiting list, there is still more work to be done. Diwakar highlighted the effectiveness of the NHS App in facilitating informed decision-making on organ donation, emphasizing the convenience of having the app readily available to millions of people. This accomplishment is reflected in the fact that over half a million individuals have already made their organ donation decisions through the app.