THE region's premier organ transplant centre is facing a major crisis in the number of donors available to help perform life-saving operations on hundreds of North-East patients.

For the first time, the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle, has seen a dramatic decline in the rate of organ donations with a drop of more than 50 per cent in numbers in the past year. A total of 172 people in the region are waiting for vital kidney, heart, lung and liver transplants but only 19 donors have been available so far this year.

The Freeman, which carries out transplant operations on patients from across the region, is one of the top transplant centres in Europe

A spokesman for UK Transplant said the decline in donor rates in the North-East has been so dramatic it has impacted on the transplant service nationally.

The national decline in donors has been in four major areas: Newcastle, Cardiff, Portsmouth and Liverpool.

Steve Bell, regional manager for the North of England Transplant Co-ordination, said: " Historically, Newcastle has been one of the best transplant centres in Europe, but it has seen a dramatic decline in the number of donors available.

"There have been 19 donors this year compared to 39 last year, leading to a 50 per cent decline in donor numbers.

"In the last 15 years the Freeman has been up there with the best in Europe.

"Its refusal rates have been low, but this year for the first time ever it has had a dramatic decline."

The decline could be due to relatives refusing donation, coronors' refusals and staff not asking families if they would take part in organ donation.

UK Transplant is carrying out a death audit across the UK to discover how many relatives are approached by hospitals and to find out how many potential donors are available.

The audit in Newcastle is likely to be implemented soon.

Mr Bell said: "These are things that you can address and we are trying to address the problems in Newcastle and we are doing something about it."