Health and wellbeing – Page 340 – The NEN

Halfway there: organ donor registrations hit new high

51.7% of Scotland’s population are now on the register.

More people than ever are signed up to the Organ Donor Register in Scotland, latest figures show. In 2018, there were 148,000 new registrations from people willing to be organ donors.

And the new registrations mean that the total number of people registered in Scotland has risen to a record high of almost 2.8 million – or 51.7% of Scotland’s population.

Meanwhile, in the last year 829 people in Scotland received a transplant. However there are currently more than 550 people in Scotland waiting for an organ transplant which could save or transform their lives.

The Scottish Government is working on a package of measures to further increase the number of potential donors. This includes legislation introduced to the Scottish Parliament to move to a soft opt-out system for organ and tissue donation. A public consultation in 2017 showed 82% of respondents supporting this move.

Public Health Minister Joe FitzPatrick (above) said: “It’s great to have a record number of people on the Organ Donor Register. This increases the chance of a potentially life-saving and life-changing gift for someone this year.

“However, with more than 550 people still waiting for a transplant, I would encourage people to consider making it their New Year’s resolution and join the Organ Donor Register. One donor can save up to nine lives and transform even more by donating tissue.

“Thanks to the generosity of donors and their families and the work of the NHS, we’ve seen great progress on organ donation over the last few years. We are working on a number of measures to increase donor numbers and save the lives of more people in Scotland.

“The move to a soft opt-out scheme aims to further increase the number of donors, while honouring the donation decision that a person has made in life.”

The figures and data below are from NHSBT:

The number of opt-in registrations (148,488) in Scotland between 4 December 2017 and 3 December 2018. The total may increase as registrations are processed.

In 2017/18, 829 people in Scotland received an organ or cornea/sclera transplant.

As of 4 December, 563 people are waiting for a transplant.

On 4 December 2018, there were 2,796,456 people residing in Scotland on the UK Organ Donor Register (area defined by the ONS NHS Postcode Directory). This is 51.7% of the Scottish population. This is based on 5,404,700 of the Scottish population, figure taken from the mid 2016 population estimates from the Office of National Statistics.

The Human Tissue (Authorisation) (Scotland) Bill will change organ and tissue donation from the current ‘opt-in’ system to a soft ‘opt-out’ system. Under the proposed system, if someone has not stated a decision about donation, they may be deemed as having authorised it. This would mean that, in addition to ‘opting in’ donation could also proceed where a person had not opted-out. There would also be safeguards to minimise the risk of a person becoming a donor if they would not have wished to donate.

People in Scotland can register to become an organ donor through the Organ Donation Scotland

Boxing Clever To Burn Off those Christmas Calories

If you, like the average Scot, consumed between 6,000 and 7,000 calories yesterday between festive brunch, Christmas lunch and a turkey sandwich supper – not to mention the mince pies, the tipples and the chocolate oranges – you may not be feeling in the mood to move much today. Continue reading Boxing Clever To Burn Off those Christmas Calories

Burning off your Christmas Day calories

Greedy diners have been warned they will need to spend up to 13 hours doing rigorous exercise to burn off their Christmas Day calories alone, according to a leading health and fitness website. Continue reading Burning off your Christmas Day calories

Tackling food insecurity during school holidays

More than 7,000 children from low income families will have access to healthy and nutritious food during the Christmas school holidays, Communities Secretary Aileen Campbell said this morning. Continue reading Tackling food insecurity during school holidays

Scots are reminded to check GP surgery opening times

Scots are reminded to check GP surgery opening times

NHS Scotland’s ‘Be Health-Wise this Winter’ campaign is advising people across Lothian to be aware that many GP surgeries and pharmacies will be closed over Christmas and New Year, and what steps they should take to prepare.

Dr Laura Ryan, Medical Director of NHS 24, said: “Over the holidays, the opening times of GP surgeries and pharmacies will be different, so it’s important people know in advance what local services are available, in case they fall ill.

“Your local surgery and pharmacies will have information but you can find your closest open services quickly and easily at the touch of a button, using Scotland’s Service Directory on NHSinform.scot.

“Check you have enough medicine at home to help you help you feel better if you are unlucky enough to catch a cough, cold, flu or upset tummy over the festive season.

“The most common winter illnesses can be looked after at home with things like cold and flu remedies, and pain relief like paracetamol or ibuprofen, which can be bought in liquid form if you have youngsters at home.

“Self-help guides are also available at NHSinform.scot, which offer safe advice on treating common illnesses and conditions, including: coughs, headaches and flu. If your symptoms worsen, despite trying simple remedies, or you or a loved one is concerned you are getting more unwell, you should seek medical attention at your surgery when it’s open or by contacting NHS 24 on 111, when it is closed.”

The Be Health-Wise campaign stresses that a few simple steps can help people stay well.

Dr Ryan said: “Knowing when local services such as the community pharmacy and GP surgery are open can save you a lot of time and worry over the holidays, and it means out of hours services are there for when you really need them. If you do happen to run out of medicines, contact your nearest pharmacy in the first instance as they should be able to assist.”

General advice and information on how to stay healthy this winter can be found at www.nhsinform.scot or contact NHS inform Health Information Advisors on 0800 22 44 88.

The three key steps that Be Health-Wise this Winter is recommending everyone take in preparation for their health this winter are:

Make sure you have over the counter remedies at home.
Don’t forget your repeat prescription. Order only what you need in plenty of time.
Check when your GP practice and local pharmacy are open over the holidays.