Organ donation campaigns

The NHS Organ Donor Register is a legal and confidential way to record your organ donation decision.

If you die in circumstances where you could be a donor, authorised NHS Blood and Transplant staff can see if you wanted to be a donor or not and what organs/tissue you wanted to donate. 

This information helps us when we are talking to your family. 

If we can share with them that you had registered a decision to donate they are more likely to support your decision.

Many people believe that all you need to do to show you want to be a donor is to join the NHS Organ Donor Register or carry a donor card. 

However, if you die in circumstances where you could become an organ donor your family would be approached by specialist nurses and asked to support your decision to donate.  

If you die without registering to donate your organs, we would need to ask your next of kin to make the decision for you.

It can be a big burden for families to make such an important decision at such a difficult time.

Less than half of families approached about donation agree to donate a relative’s organs if they are unaware of their relative’s decision to be a donor.  

When a family says no to donation, someone waiting for a transplant may miss out on their only opportunity for a transplant which could save their life. 

If you have questions about promoting organ donation (such as queries relating to facts or key messages or have questions about our national activities) please contact marketing.comms@nhsbt.nhs.uk

If you have a personal story you would like to share to help promote organ donation, please contact pressoffice@nhsbt.nhs.uk 

If you are from a large organisation and would like to help us promote donation to your workforce or customers please email partnerships@nhsbt.nhs.uk