Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that scheduled donor transplants go ahead during the covid-19 outbreak.

NHS England and NHS Improvement have published guidance for local systems to support the restoration and recovery of solid organ transplants. Its regional teams have developed recovery plans, which include streamlined pathways for the provision of solid organ transplantation and the associated critical care capacity. NHS England and NHS Improvement continue to work with NHS Blood and Transplant and transplant units to optimise activity.

NHS Blood and Transplant data for 2021/22 shows 91% of normal deceased donation activity, which is an increase of 19% on the previous year. Ninety seven transplants were performed during week commencing 18 October 2021, which is the highest number since the start of the pandemic.