The process of donating organs and/or tissue after death to benefit others who need a transplant. In the UK, adults are considered to have agreed to donate their organs unless they have opted out or are in an excluded group (the opt-out system introduced in England in 2020). Families are always consulted and their views are taken into account, even under opt-out. Organ donation is typically discussed by a specialist nurse for organ donation (SNOD), who works alongside the ICU team and is trained to support families through this conversation sensitively. Donation does not affect the medical care given to the patient — the clinical priority is always the patient’s survival and recovery. If your loved one has died or is being assessed for brain stem death, you may be approached about donation; you do not have to make an immediate decision.
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