Discussing organ donation with relatives ‘best left to specialists’

Only specialist nurses and lead doctors should speak to distressed families about the donation of their loved-ones’ organs, a seminar has heard.

The meeting on end of life issues heard that it can be detrimental if the topic is tackled by NHS staff who are untrained in organ donation issues.

University of Wolverhampton professor of clinical practice and innovation Magi Sque said most non-specialist nurses do not have extensive knowledge in this area.

Speaking at the event, organised by the RCN and the National Council of Women, Professor Sque said: ‘My research has shown nurses in the UK know no more about organ donation than the general public.

‘I would ask you to think what you know about organ donation.’

She added: ‘There should be a specialist nurse and lead physician in the unit that talks to the family, because a lot of damage can be done by someone crashing in untrained.’

Around 70,000 people in Europe are waiting for organ transplants, of whom more than 7,000 are in the UK, the seminar in Birmingham heard.

Spain and Croatia are the leading countries in Europe in terms of organ donation rates.