A new plan to increase deceased organ donation lacks funding and an implementation timeframe, Kidney Health New Zealand says.
The Ministry of Health's new strategy is aimed at increasing donations through public education, more resources for intensive care units, and setting up a national agency.
Chief executive Max Reid said the aim was worthy but without resourcing it would not work.
Health Minister Jonathan Coleman, in launching the strategy recently, announced $500,000 in funding to increase ICU capacity.
Mr Reid said $500,000 was not a ``credible funding commitment''.
``There is no implementation plan, no indication of how or where or when the proposed national agency will be established, and no overarching timeframe.''
Intensive care units were already running at capacity, and much more funding was needed to increase their capacity.
Ministry of Health strategy and policy group manager Hannah Cameron said the strategy was ``one step in a journey''.
``The $500,000 investment ... will be used in 2017-18 to support an increase in specialist medical and nursing organ donation roles within some ICUs.
``This will better enable ICUs and staff to champion and advocate for deceased organ donation, and support bereaved families,'' Ms Cameron said.
New Zealand's rate of deceased organ donation is increasing, but is among the lowest in the developed world.
Last year, 61 deceased donors provided 181 organs for transplants.
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Comments
Why does it take so long for successive governments to enact the wishes of the public.At every election,there should appear one or more subjects on the ballot paper as referenda,binding therefore politicians carrying out what the people vote for,yay or nay.Then we could be spared the endless debate and discussions in all forms of media.Organ donations save lives,denial to donate based on religious or cultural beliefs should be ruled out.If a persons refuses to be a donor register,then don't expect to be a donor recipient.It must be hoped that those vast numbers of usable organs will cease to be buried or cremated.
I don't see the problem with appears to be common sense.