Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department provides guidance to trainee doctors in the NHS on how to discuss child organ donation with bereaved parents.

Organs can only be transplanted shortly following death therefore donations are usually received from intensive care patients. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s guidance suggests that a discussion around organ donation will involve the medical and nursing staff involved in the care of the patient following death. This process is led by a consultant and a specialist nurse for organ donation.

NHS Blood and Transplant provides training for doctors in intensive care on discussing organ donation with bereaved family members. The National Deceased Donation Course for Intensive Care Medicine Trainees uses actors as family members and high-fidelity simulation, including a paediatric specific pathway. Specialist nurses for organ donation receive training for conversations and end of life care practices for paediatric donation.