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Auditing of organ donation practices and processes will soon be rolled out across the country after the process showed promise in increasing donor opportunities.
The Irish Potential Donor Audit (IPDA) aims to identify donors at the time of death, and promotes best practice in how healthcare staff reach out to the families of the deceased when an opportunity for organ donation arises.
After an initial successful pilot in six hospitals the National Office of Clinical Audit (NOCA) has announced that IPDA will now be expanded to intensive care units and emergency departments across the country.
NOCA will also appoint a dedicated audit manager, and launch online ‘dashboard’ that gives hospitals access to organ donation data to drive improvements.
“Our aim is to offer the possibility of organ donation to everyone who dies in circumstances where organ donation is a possibility and where it was that person’s wish,” said IPDA clinical lead Dr Alan Gaffney.
“Auditing organ donation practices and processes by local organ donation nurses has been shown to increase organ donation opportunities.”
The expansion announcement has been made during Organ Donor Awareness Week (April 20-27).
“This week serves as a crucial reminder of the transformative impact organ donation can have—not just for recipients, but for donor families as well,” said Martina Goggin, patient and public interest representative for the IPDA governance committee.
“As the parent of an organ donor, I feel it is most important that potential donors are always identified, and their families are given the opportunity of considering organ donation, by being spoken to by an appropriately trained organ donation specialist.
“Rolling out the Irish Potential Donor Audit at this time is, I feel, very appropriate, as the audit aims to help identify every potential donor at end of life and focus on best practice in approaching and speaking with donor families at a most difficult time of overwhelming anguish,” she added.
“If we had not been approached and asked about donating our son’s organs, quite possibly we would not have thought of it. How disappointing and devastating that would be knowing the comfort organ donation gives, and the ongoing benefit, to a donor family.”