National DonateLife program

On 2 July 2008, the Australian Government announced the national reform program to implement a leading practice approach to organ and tissue donation for transplantation. The program was endorsed by the then Council of Australian Governments on 3 July 2008.   

The DonateLife program aims to increase organ and tissue donation to improve opportunities for transplantation in Australia.

The twin objectives of the DonateLife program are to:  

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

The DonateLife program is informed by international best practice. Evidence from comparable countries demonstrates that a coordinated national approach and system, focused on clinical practice reform in hospitals, improves organ donation and transplantation rates.   

The key reform elements adopted in Australia, and by international leaders, in organ and tissue donation are:  

  • a national coordinating authority (in Australia this is the OTA)  
  • hospital-based clinical donation specialists (doctors and nurses)  
  • specialist training for clinical staff in management of the deceased donation process and donation conversations with families at end of life  
  • implementation of a clinical governance framework that supports quality assurance and audit of hospital clinical practice and governance of the donation process  
  • financial support to donor hospitals to ensure that costs related to donor management are not a barrier to donation  
  • media engagement and national community awareness and education 
  • international cooperation to share best practice.  

The OTA leads the DonateLife program in partnership with the DonateLife Network, state and territory governments, the donation and transplantation sectors, the eye and tissue sectors, hospitals, community organisations and the public.

Our purpose

To save and improve the lives of more Australians through organ and tissue donation and transplantation.

Our Strategy 2022-2027

Our Strategy 2022–2027 is informed by insights from our advisory committees with clinical expertise and lived experience—including from donor families and transplant recipients. 

The OTA aims to return donation and transplantation activity to pre-pandemic levels and to drive further improvements. We aim to achieve this through 3 key goals of building support across the community, optimising opportunities in the clinical sector and enhancing systems to enable quality outcomes.

We want all Australians to talk about organ and tissue donation. If you want to be a donor, make sure you tell your family and friends.

Registering is easy and only takes one minute. All you need is your phone, Medicare card and one minute to register.

It doesn’t matter how old you are, your medical history, your lifestyle, what country you’re from or how healthy you are — you can still register as an organ and tissue donor.

The Organ and Tissue Authority acknowledges the traditional owners of country throughout Australia, and their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to them and their cultures, and to elders both past and present.

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