Consent data

  • Overview

    • In Australia, families of potential donors are always asked to agree to their family member becoming a donor in hospital.
    • In 2025, 53% of families consented to donation in the hospital, consistent with 2024.
    • Increasing the number of families who agree and say yes to donation is critical to increasing donation and transplantation rates.

     

    Consent for donation
    790 families gave consent for donation
    -
    233 did not proceed to donation
    =
    557 became donors

  • In 2025, 53% of families agreed to donation when asked in a hospital setting, consistent with 2024.

    Consent rates

  • Consent rates by state and territory in 2025

    Consent rates by state and territory in 2024 This image shows the consent rates for organ donation by state and territory in Australia for the year 2024. Northern Territory 59% Western Australia 54% Australian Capital Territory 59% Queensland 58% New South Wales 50% Victoria 50% Tasmania 76% South Australia 54% National 53%

  •  

    LocationConsent rate
    Australian Capital Territory59%
    New South Wales50%
    Northern Territory59%
    Queensland58%
    South Australia54%
    Tasmania76%
    Victoria50%
    54%
    National53%

  • The impact of donation specialists supporting families

    The importance of involving a donation specialist nurse in donation discussions with families 

    5/10Families agreed to donation when they were supported by a donation specialist nurse
    1/10Families agreed to donation when there was no donation specialist nurse involved

     

    Donation specialist nurses involved in family conversations

    20252024Difference 
    85%87%-2%In 2025, a donation specialist nurse was involved in 85% of family conversations about donation compared with 87% in 2024.
    • There are around 260 donation specialist nurses, doctors and support staff who deliver the DonateLife national program across more than 95 hospitals
in Australia.
    • The donation specialists work with hospital critical care teams to ensure that, when appropriate, the opportunity for organ donation is offered to families.
    • Key factors to increasing consent are having donation raised by a donation specialist nurse and providing families with high-quality information and care during the donation process.

     

    Return to donation and transplantation data to explore more detailed data.

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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