the struggle to find organ donors for the thousands of patients waiting for a transplant has been highlighted in a report to hospital chiefs.

Despite more than 250 deaths across Huddersfield Royal Infirmary (HRI) and Calderdale Royal Hospital (CRH) last year just NINE donors were found.

On the face of it the single digit figure is shockingly low.

But doctors and nurses in charge of searching for vital donors have revealed it is one of the best in Yorkshire.

Yorkshire has the lowest rate of organ donations in the UK with just 86 donors in total last year.

Tim Jackson, clinical lead for organ donation at Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Trust (CHFT), said: “The vast majority of people who die are not appropriate to be donors.

“We’re incredibly well respected within the region as being pro-donation.

“It’s an emotive and difficult field to work in and to deal with families who are in the most desperate circumstances.

“One thing we can do for families is give them the only positive in a desperately negative situation.”

A spokesman for NHS Blood and Transplant said: “The Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Trust has been working tirelessly to raise awareness of organ donation in the local community and they have seen a great rise in the number of organ donors in the past three years.

“Organ donation saves lives, it really is that simple.

“In the past year, nine families made the decision to donate their loved ones organs at what would have been an unimaginably difficult time. Because of this many lives would have been saved and transformed.

“My heart goes out to all the families that find themselves in the position where they have to make a decision about organ donation and I would like to say thank you for all the families that make that decision. We are often told by families that knowing their loved ones organs have helped to save lives, has helped them to come to terms with their loss.

“However, three people a day are dying in the UK because many families are not ready to allow organ donation to go ahead and there are 10,000 people in need of a life changing transplant.

“Having a conversation about organ donation is vitally important as we know that making a decision to donate a loved one’s organs is so much easier if you know what their wishes were. So tell your loved ones you want to be an organ donor and be proud of your decision.”

A review of 2013/14 shows 162 deaths at HRI resulted in three liver transplants, four kidney transplants, one pancreas to research, one heart valve donation, two eye cornea transplants and one skin, bone and tendon donation.

Ninety-three deaths at CRH resulted in three liver transplants, six kidney transplants, four eye corneas, one skin donation and one pancreas to research.

Out of the 570,000 deaths in the UK last year, only 1,320 donors were found.

Prof Anthony Warrens, president of the British Transplantation Society, said: ”Deaths among patients who are in need of a transplant will sadly be unavoidable while the consent rate for deceased organ donation remains lower than many other countries in the western world.

“Although the rate increased slightly from 57% in 2012/13 to 59% in 2013/14, we have to make huge strides if we are to achieve the ambitious 80% target by 2020.

“Changing the behaviour of UK society towards organ donation is a tough challenge but one everyone involved in organ donation and transplantation should embrace.

“We know that families are much more likely to agree to donating a loved one’s organs when his or her wishes are known, so the more we can encourage people to sign up to the NHS Organ Donor Register and to discuss their decision to donate with their families, the better.”

To put yourself on the organ donation register visit www.organdonation.nhs.uk