Organ and tissue donation for transplantation

National program

In 2009, the Australian Government created the Organ and Tissue Authority (OTA) to implement a national program to increase the rate of organ and tissue donation in Australia.

OTA works with all states and territories to deliver the national program to achieve a coordinated, best practice approach to organ and tissue donation.

The objectives of the program are to:

  • increase the capability and capacity within the health system to maximise donation rates
  • raise community awareness and stakeholder engagement across Australia to promote organ and tissue donation.

The OTA collaborates with states and territories to develop an annual strategic plan.

The strategic plan sets out a 4 year outlook and identifies the objectives, strategies and actions for achieving further growth in organ and tissue donation in Australia.

OTA reports performance in the Annual Report and national performance data, which is used to report progress in delivering the national program and inform future strategic direction.

Statistics relating to organ donation

Data related to organ donation and transplantation activity is crucial in identifying opportunities for improving care of donors, support for donor families and transplant recipient outcomes.

The Australian and New Zealand Organ Donation Registry (ANZOD) collects and records data on deceased donors, and it also collects a wide range of statistics that relate to organ donation and transplant activities.

ANZOD produces a monthly report, through the Latest Donation Activity Data Release section, outlining the numbers of deceased organ donors and the number of people who have received a donated organ through a transplant operation.

The OTA provides regular performance reports to states and territories. These reports capture key metrics for donation activity and are used to identify processes that can be improved at the individual hospital level to achieve best-practice organ and tissue donation.

Legislation

In Queensland, the Transplantation and Anatomy Act 1979 provides the legal framework for the donation of organs and tissue for use in transplantation. This Act provides the legal authority and consent processes that are necessary to enable the donation of tissue, which includes organs for use in transplants.

The Transplantation and Anatomy Act 1979 and the Transplantation and Anatomy Regulation 2017 are the responsibility of the Minister of Health and Minister for Ambulance Services, and are administered by the Queensland Department of Health.

Last updated: 27 March 2020