UHNM celebrates first anniversary of Eye and Tissue Donation Service

University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust (UHNM) is celebrating the first anniversary of its eye and tissue donation service.

UHNM became one of only ten NHS Trusts in the country to be commissioned by NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) to set up its own in-house service, and in twelve months has enabled the potentially life-changing retrieval of over one hundred corneas, 12 heart valves and 11 bone donations.

The service has allowed UHNM to appoint its first dedicated Eye and Tissue Donation Nurses, Amber Norbury and Clare Lean, to help tackle national shortages particularly in cornea donation.

Vickie Poole, organ and tissue donation committee chair t UHNM said: “It’s fantastic to see how far we’ve come in just one year, with every donation representing a patient whose life has been transformed through the gift of sight or tissue. We’ve also been able to support many families in finding comfort at a very difficult time, knowing their loved one has helped others.”

Amber and Clare work closely with UHNM’s Bereavement and Mortuary teams, to identify potential donors, ensure families are aware of the opportunity to donate, and coordinate the retrieval process on-site at the Royal Stoke University Hospital.

Samuel Townshend, acting head of bereavement and medical examiner services, said: “This service is a real example of teamwork, and the compassion and dedication of our staff ensures donations are carried out respectfully and sensitively.

“Corneas must be retrieved within 24 hours of the deceased's last breath, so the ability to carry out this process in-house has significantly improved efficiency and outcomes.

“Almost anyone can be a cornea donor, and age, poor eyesight or other medical conditions don’t usually prevent donation.”

The Eye and Tissue Donation Service followed a successful pilot scheme in 2023, which achieved 40 cornea donations in just six months.

In its first full year of operation the service has enabled the retrieval of:

• 105 corneas
• 12 heart valves
• 11 bone donations
• 4 tendons
• 4 skin donations

Samuel added: “The team’s ambition is to continue building on this success, with a long-term goal of supporting at least one donation each day.

“We are privileged to facilitate this work, helping families make a difference through donation is incredibly rewarding. I’d encourage everyone to think about their own wishes and discuss them openly with loved ones, it’s one of the most powerful ways to help others.”

To register your organ and tissue donation decision, visit www.organdonation.nhs.uk, call 0300 123 23 23, or use the NHS App.