Organ donation

• Organs can only be donated if the person you care for dies in hospital, usually in intensive care where the blood can be kept circulating. However, tissue (such as bone, skin, heart valves, corneas, and many others) can be donated up to 48 hours after a death which does not necessarily occur in a hospital. Up to 50 people can benefit from tissue donated from just one person.
• From spring 2020 the law around organ donation changed. All adults in England will be considered to have agreed to organ and tissue donation when they die unless they have recorded a decision NOT to donate or are in one of the excluded groups. 
• If the person you care for does not want to be an organ donor they will need to opt-out by registering a ‘refuse to donate’ decision on the NHS Organ Donor Register and by sharing their decision with you. It’s important they tell you what they want, as the family of a potential donor will still be approached to discuss the option of organ and tissue donation. They can also express their wishes by including them in an advance care plan.
• The new law does not apply to anyone under 18, people who lack mental capacity to understand the new arrangements, those who have lived in England for less than 12 months before their death, or people not living here voluntarily.

1. Explain the choices open to the person you care for in relation to the new law around organ and tissue donation and ensure they complete the NHS Organ Donor Register in accordance with their wishes.
2. Ensure you are aware of any particular requests or requirements they may have to help ensure the organ donation goes ahead in line with their faiths and beliefs.

Provide any important information to doctors about the person you care for medical, travel, and social history so as to ensure their organs can safely be given to someone else. Find out about organ donation before making a decision.