Our stakeholder forum with the Organ Donation and Transplantation sector

We recently gathered for our second sector-focused forum with representatives from the Organ Donation and Transplantation sector. The Chair warmly welcomed colleagues, acknowledging the importance of having colleagues from all corners of the UK and the Department of Health and Social Care. It’s been a busy time in this sector since we last met in March, so we covered some of the main headlines:

The first UK uterine transplant from a living donor: Our transplant team at HTA worked closely with the medical team to ensure the first UK uterine transplant from a living donor could go ahead earlier this year. We ensured licensing was in place and briefed our Board on the unique features of this ground breaking transplant.

Convictions for human trafficking offences: We collaborated with other agencies on a high-profile case in which a vulnerable person was trafficked to the UK for the purpose of organ removal. We’ve updated our living donation policies and procedures, and trained HTA staff and Board members on the signs and indicators of human trafficking. Independent Assessors will be trained in early 2024. Read more about this case.

Consent: NHSBT updated us on organ donation rates - they saw a dip in organ donation and transplantation in 2021 due to Covid19. There has been a steady increase of opt in and opt out on the NHS Organ Donor Register up to March 2023, and awareness rate of legislation change around opting out has increased from 66% to 72%. We also heard that currently 9 out of 10 families usually support donation going ahead, but this is less than half when families are unsure of their loved one’s wishes. This shows the importance of sharing your decision around organ and tissue donation with family and friends and registering on the NHS Organ Donor Register.

Horizon scanning: We highlighted that there’s been some cases of Xenotransplantation taking place in the United States this year, reflected in recent news stories. There is not currently a clear legislative framework in the UK, however we will continue to keep a watching brief on developments in this field.

Thank you to the colleagues who attended the forum - it was great to catch up on recent developments and spend some time looking at what is coming up next for HTA and our stakeholders.