UK Transplant

Web: www.uktransplant.org.uk

UK Transplant's key role is to ensure that donated organs are matched and allocated in a fair and unbiased way.

UK Transplant is in a unique position in that they do not have a direct relationship with patients and do not provide "hands on" care. However, in providing support to transplantation services across the UK, everything they do has an impact on the quality of service delivered to individual patients.

They are directly accountable to health ministers in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and to Parliament through the Department of Health in England. The Authority was originally established in 1991 as the UK Transplant Support Service Authority (UKTSSA).

UK Transplant's specific responsibilities include:

• Managing the national transplant database which includes details of all donors and patients who are waiting for, or who have received, a transplant.
• Providing a 24 hour service for the matching and allocation of donor organs and making the transport arrangements to get the organs to patients maintaining the national organ donor register.
• Improving organ donation rates by funding initiatives in the wider NHS contributing to the development of performance indicators, standards and protocols which guide the work of organ donation and transplantation acting as a central point for information on transplant matters providing central support to all transplant units in the UK and Republic of Ireland.
• Auditing and analysing the results of all organ transplants in the UK and Republic of Ireland to improve patient care.
• Raising public awareness of the importance of organ donation.