Latest news with #HoughtonleSpring
BBC News
4 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Houghton heart donation recipient calls for change in rules
A woman who was the first baby to have a heart transplant in the UK says families should not be able to overturn a loved one's decision to donate their donations have almost tripled from 255 in 2020/21 to 680 in 2023/24, according to official figures, leading to an estimated 2,040 "missed opportunities" last Davidson-Olley, from Houghton-le-Spring, who had transplant surgery at Newcastle's Freeman Hospital in 1987, said lives were continuing to be Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) said families were "always involved" in donation and they might have "important information" which was vital in understanding whether organs were safe for donation. Last year, families refusing donation gave reasons including not knowing what the patient wanted, feeling the donation process took too long, not wanting any further surgery to the body, or it was against religious and cultural research carried out by Bangor University found some families did not understand the soft opt-out laws, introduced in England in 2020, where patients are presumed to have given consent for donation unless they specifically opted out of the organ donation register. "The knock-on impact is lives won't be saved, it's as simple as that. Organs need to be used here, not in heaven," Ms Davidson-Olley, now 38, said."The figures [for organ donations] are extremely low, and we need to boost that up and we need public help to do that."Ms Davidson-Olley praised the NHS, but said the sole decision to remain opted-in to the Organ Donation Register should be honoured, where appropriate. According to the NHS, for every one donor, an average of three organs can be transplanted, potentially saving additional lives."You're giving a life, you're giving a gift, look at me 38 years post-transplant - I love my life and I couldn't be thankful enough to what I've been given," Ms Davidson-Olley said."Have the conversation [with your family] and share your wishes." Figures from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024 showed that 140 families overruled a patient's "opt-in decision". A further 540 families did not support "deemed consent", where there is no expressed decision and so the patient is assumed to support organ all those cases, no donation went ahead. Terry Archbold previously told the BBC he and his partner were split over organ donation after their daughter Isabel was his partner Cheryl agreed, Mr Archbold said he had initially refused organ donation as he had never given the subject consideration, and a "protective instinct kicked in" that "didn't want anyone to touch her".However, it was only after having a discussion he said he realised they would be "hopefully saving other parents from experiencing the same feelings we had". Families consulted A spokesperson for NHSBT said families were often aware of a patient's "medical, travel and social history" and which was "vital to understanding" whether their organs were "safe to transplant", or had more recent information than a decision recorded on the donor said while families were expected to support a patient's decision to donate, the circumstances in which a person died were "often very sudden and traumatic", and said it was encouraging people to be clear with family members about their wishes."Families are far more likely to support donation when they already know it was what their relative wanted," the spokesperson said."Almost 90% of people honoured their family members decision last year when they had either registered their decision to donate on the NHS Organ Donor Register or had spoken with their family about wanting to be an organ donor."The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said it was encouraging everybody to "register their decision" which "only takes two minutes and could save up to nine lives".A spokesperson added the DHSC was making it "as easy as possible" for those to record their preference on the register. Follow BBC Sunderland on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
BBC News
26-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Houghton's listed Kepier Hall set for renovation
A "cherished" heritage building is set for renovation after plans were given the green City Council's planning department has approved proposals to replace some of the non-historic windows at Kepier Hall, off Church Street, in building is Grade II* listed and according to Historic England has parts that date back to the 16th was a school until the 1920s before becoming a church hall and is currently used by community groups and as accommodation. A small number of historic timber windows had been retained in the oldest parts of the building, but the majority had been replaced with poor quality replicas, many as part of 2008 restoration, according to Local Democracy Reporting Service.A design and access statement said the works would ensure Kepier Hall remained a "valuable and cherished asset to the local community for generations to come".According to a planning application form, which was submitted to the council in April, development works started in late-2024 but had not been council's conservation department noted the listed building was "highly significant" and had been extended in the 1980s to provide a community hall, which has been managed by the Kepier Trust "for many years". Follow BBC Sunderland on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Government minister among Sunderland fans in Trafalgar Square ahead of play-off final
A senior government minister was spotted among Sunderland fans celebrating their side reaching Wembley on Friday night. Thousands of mackems who made the journey south on Friday (May 23) gathered in Trafalgar Square last night. Red smoke flares were set off under the watch of Nelson's column to chants of 'Que sera sera'. Click here for live coverage ahead of Sunderland's play-off final against Sheffield United this afternoon Among devoted fans donned in red and white one supporter turned up in his suit having made the slightly shorter trip along Whitehall to Trafalgar Square. The scene in Trafalgar Square on Friday (May 23) night. (Image: NORTHERN ECHO) Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds, born in Houghton-le-Spring and a life-long Black Cats supporter, was spotted among the thousands of Wearsiders partying in the capital. He snapped a selfie with Sunderland Central MP Lewis Atkinson and SAFC Chief Business Officer David Bruce. (Image: LEWIS ATKINSON) Read next: PM defends new EU deal slammed as Brexit betrayal by North East fisherman Meet the viral Teesside scholar dubbed the UK's youngest bodybuilder Heartbroken man was found dead in County Durham woods weeks after sister's suicide lick here to join our WhatsApp community and get breaking news updates direct to your phone. Mr Reynolds, part of Sir Keir Starmer's front-bench team, has often been spotted in the stands among fans, including earlier this month as his beloved side beat Coventry away in the first leg of the play-offs. Sunderland face Sheffield United at 3.01pm today (May 24) in a bid to secure their Premier League return after eight years. Regis le Bris has said he won't let the prospect of a top flight return distract his side as he attempts to guide them back into the big time.
BBC News
15-05-2025
- BBC News
Pair re-arrested over death of Houghton girl, aged two
Two people have been re-arrested on suspicion of murdering a two-year-old girl who suffered serious head man in his 20s and woman in her 30s had originally been arrested by police responding to a "report of concern" for a child in Houghton-le-Spring, south of Sunderland, on 21 girl was taken to hospital but died three days later.A Northumbria Police spokesperson said the pair, both of whom were re-arrested on Wednesday, had since been bailed "pending further enquiries". They said: "We can confirm our enquiries remain ongoing following the tragic death of a two-year-old girl from the Houghton-le-Spring area last month. "Our thoughts continue to be with the girl's family and all of those affected by this tragedy and would ask everyone to avoid speculation both online and in the community." Follow BBC Sunderland on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
The Sun
15-05-2025
- The Sun
Man and woman arrested on suspicion of murder after girl, 2, died in hospital with serious head injuries
TWO people have been arrested on suspicion of murder over the death of a two-year-old girl in Houghton-le-Spring. The child passed away in hospital days after allegedly suffering head injuries, with the tragedy now being treated as murder. 2 Officers from Northumbria Police re-arrested two suspects yesterday who had initially been held on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm with intent in connection with the young girl's death. The man in his 20s and a woman in her 30s have since been questioned on suspicion of murder before being released on bail. A Northumbria Police spokesman said: "We can confirm our enquiries remain ongoing following the tragic death of a two-year-old girl from the Houghton-le-Spring area last month. "As part of our ongoing investigation, we re-arrested a man in his 20s and a woman in her 30s yesterday, both on suspicion of murder. "They have since been bailed pending further enquiries. Our thoughts continue to be with the girl's family and all of those affected by this tragedy. "We would ask everyone to avoid speculation both online and in the community." 2
