What is organ donation?
Organ donation is the gift of an organ to help someone who needs a transplant. The generosity of donors and their families means that the lives of around 3,000 people in the UK every year are saved or dramatically improved.

What organs can be transplanted?
The organs that can be transplanted are kidneys, heart, liver, lungs, pancreas and the small bowel. However, techniques are improving all the time and soon other parts of the body may be used to help even more people.

What is the NHS Organ Donor Register?
The NHS Organ Donor Register is a confidential computer database which holds the wishes of more than 14 million people who have decided that, after their death, they want to help give life to others. The register is used to find out whether a person wants to donate their organs and what they want to donate. The NHS Organ Donor Register is a real lifesaver for many people.

Do I need to join the NHS Organ Donor Register if I have a donor card?
Yes, you should join the register even if you have a donor card. This is because donor cards can get lost or damaged and you might not always have it on you. Joining the register is a safer way of expressing your wishes, but you can still carry a card if you want. It is also very important that you tell your family what your wishes are, because they would be asked by medical staff to confirm what you want to happen after your death.

Will my personal details be given to other organisations if I join the register?
No, your personal details will not be passed on to anyone else without your consent. The information that you provide for the register will only be used by NHS Blood and Transplant to register your wishes, and by healthcare professionals if you die. 

How do I register on the NHS Organ Donor Register?
You can register on the NHS Organ Donor Register online or phone the Organ Donor Line at any time on 0845 60 60 400. You may also see leaflets in your doctor’s surgery, or you can tick a box when you apply for your provisional driving licence.

Are the rules for donating organs the same for donating blood?
No, they are different. After your death, a specialist will decide by looking at your medical history whether some or all your organs or tissues are going to be suitable for transplant. When you give blood, you will be asked a series of questions to see if you qualify, including questions regarding your health at the time – sometimes a cold or medication that you were taking can prevent you from donating blood.

Can I be an organ donor if I have an existing medical condition?
Yes, it is likely that you could still be an organ or tissue donor after your death, even if you have had an ongoing medical condition. There are only two conditions that absolutely prevent someone from donating organs – HIV or variant CJD, also known as ‘mad cow’ disease.

Is there a minimum age to join the NHS Organ Donor Register?
No. There are no minimum or maximum ages for signing up as an organ donor. The most important thing, whatever your age, is to remember to tell the people closest to you what your wishes are.

UK laws say there is no right to overrule someone’s legal wish to donate. Your parents or other close family would be asked to confirm that donation was what you wanted which is why you need to tell them.

What would happen if my relatives objected to my wish of becoming a donor?
Healthcare professionals would discuss this sensitively with your relatives and if you were at least 16 in Scotland or 18 in the rest of the UK when you expressed your wish to donate, they would have no legal right to overrule it. They would be encouraged to allow donation to go ahead but there may still be cases where it would not be appropriate for donation to occur.

If you were under these ages when you stated your donation wishes, your parents or guardians would have the final say as to whether donation should take place. Most will agree if they know it was someone’s dying wish so it is crucial to tell the people who are closest to you.

Can I change my mind about being a donor?
Yes. You can contact the NHS Organ Donor Register, UK Transplant, FREEPOST (SWB1474), Patchway, Bristol, BS34 8ZZ by writing to them, or through their website www.uktransplant.org.uk , and ask to be removed from the register. You should also let your family know that you have changed your mind.

Why are even more donors needed?
Every year hundreds of people die while waiting for an organ transplant and many others lose their lives before they even get on to the transplant list, which is why more organ donors are needed. The gap between the number of organs donated and the number of people waiting for a transplant is increasing.

Also, although most people say they agree with organ donation, they have not recorded their wishes on the NHS Organ Donor Register or discussed their decision with their family and this may mean that their family doesn’t agree to donation because they don’t know what their relative would have wanted.

Will the doctors just let you die if they know you want to be a donor?
No. Doctors will always make every possible effort to save the patient's life because that is their first duty. Only if the patient dies despite their best efforts would a team of transplant specialists be called in to consider organ donation. 

How do they know you are really dead?
There are well-established, clinical procedures for confirming when someone has died. Organs are never removed until after this has happened and the process is handled by a completely separate team of doctors and nurses.

Who would get my organs and tissue if I became a donor?
A variety of things need to be considered for a successful organ transplant, such as blood group, age and weight. For donating kidneys, the tissue type also needs to be taken into account.

All patients in need of an organ transplant are registered on the national list which is maintained by UK Transplant. Priority for a transplant is usually given to patients who need it most urgently. UK Transplant operates a 24-hour service to ensure that the organ is allocated to the most appropriate patient.

Are potential donors tested to identify if they have a disease that could be transmitted?
Yes, before donation can be approved, potential donors have their blood tested for viruses such as HIV and hepatitis. The family of the potential donor will be told that this procedure is required.