Fall in heart valve donations fears

CONCERNS have been raised over a drop in the number of heart valves donated for lifesaving surgeries.

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Poppy Wilson.

The NHS could not supply around one in five (20%) of heart valve requests from hospitals last year, according to new figures from NHS Blood and Transplant.

This comes after a dip in the number of hearts donated to heart valve banks, with 600 hearts donated in 2021 and just 368 donated in 2024.

Officials said that the shortage is continuing this year.

NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) officials said: "We are just not getting enough donations to meet demand."

It is calling on people to support tissue donation on the NHS Organ Donor Register and to support heart valve donation if a loved one dies in circumstances where donation is possible.

Jackie Brander, head of operations for tissue donation at NHS Blood and Transplant said: "Heart valves can be especially important for babies born with genetic heart defects.

"But the reality is we are just not getting enough donations to meet demand.

"We think there are several reasons why heart valve donation has decreased.