Patient deaths on organ transplant waiting list in the United Kingdom (UK) 2023/24

In 2023/24, 265 patients died on the organ transplant waiting list while waiting for a kidney transplant in the United Kingdom (UK), by far the highest number compared to other organs. In this period, 67 and 42 people also died waiting for liver and lung transplants respectively. 

Transplant situation in the UK

The number of people waiting for a kidney transplant in the UK was over 5.3 thousand in 2023, which was the highest for any organ by quite a distance. This was followed by individuals waiting for liver transplants and heart transplants with 663 and 305 patients each respectively. The problem exists is that in 2022/23 the number of potential donors was over four times the number of actual donors in the UK. 

Survival chances after a transplant

In the UK, the one-year survival rate after a kidney transplant is generally good. Since 2005, 99 percent of those receiving a kidney transplant from a living donor survived for at least one-year post-transplant. The survival rates from deceased donors are slightly below, sitting at a 97 percent survival rate for the period 2014 to 2019.