Organ Donation Taskforce Programme Delivery Board
The document ‘Organs for Transplant: A Report from the Organ Donation Taskforce’ (2008) 1 is the culmination of a UK review of the process and difficulties associated with Organ Donation. To deliver these recommendations a UK taskforce: The Organ Donation Taskforce Programme Delivery Board has been developed. Professor Sir Bruce Keogh the NHS Medical Director chairs this group, and the BACCN is one of the groups representing nursing and clinical staff. Some of the main points are summarised, and the BACCN will keep members informed of progress of the recommendations as they are put into place.
The NHS Blood and Transplant will be restructured to incorporate a new Organ Donation and Transplantation Directorate; this is led by Sally Johnson, who was appointed on 1st September 2008.
To support the organ donation process Donor Transplant co – ordinators will be based in the critical care units; the first phase of this has begun by recruiting more Donor Transplant Coordinators.
51 Trusts with the highest potential for Organ Donors, these Trusts will
be expected to establish Trust Donation Committee’s, and appoint a Clinical
Donation Champion.
Organ Donation should be viewed as a usual and not unusual event and be
part of End of Life Care in all hospitals. To help to achieve this staff
should receive mandatory training in the principles of donation.
Some of the most difficult issues being debated is that of presumed consent for organ donation, and Brain Stem Death testing on all patients where this is a likely diagnosis. The Organ Donation Taskforce recognises this, and is setting out to develop a clear and unambiguous framework of good practice to support clinical staff in relation to legal, ethical and professional issues.
Kate Bray
Professional Advisor
1. Department of Health (2008) A Report from the Organ Donation Taskforce’:
