In an Australian first the ACT is to acknowledge the generosity of organ donors in the death register and on a donor’s death certificate.
Minister for Human Rights, Tara Cheyne said that in recognition of the generosity and importance of organ and tissue donors in the community, families now had the option for their loved one’s donation to be acknowledged.
“Organ and tissue donations transform and save many lives across the country each year,” Ms Cheyne said.
“While there are a number of ways in which organ and tissue donation is acknowledged, families have consistently stressed to me that there would be value in having further formal options to have their loved one’s gift recognised,” she said.
Ms Cheyne said that as of 6 May this year a donor’s next of kin has been able to apply to have the statement “The deceased gave a gift of life, generously donating organs/tissue” added to the death register and the donor’s death certificate.
The Minister said a letter from the Chief Minister to the donor’s family, acknowledging the precious donation, could be requested at the same time or separately to the death certificate request.
“Key principles guiding these acknowledgments are that they are optional, entirely up to the family and not-time limited,” she said.
“This ensures that families have control and agency in deciding if, how and when they wish to have their loved one’s donation recognised.”
Ms Cheyne said the lack of a time limit removed any urgency to decide and meant families whose deceased loved one was an organ and/or tissue donor before the reforms came into effect had the acknowledgment options available to them.
She said there would be no additional cost if a death certificate had been previously issued and a family requested that it be amended to include the acknowledgement.
Ms Cheyne thanked the many donor families, Gift of Life ACT, DonateLife and Donor Families Australia for their close work with the ACT Government to bring about the reform.
Further information on how to apply for the donor acknowledgement can be accessed at this PS News link and an organ and tissue donation, including how to register as a donor, at this link.
