GPs told to discuss organ donations with patients

Doctors are to be told to discuss organ donation with more patients, including those recently diagnosed with terminal illnesses, in a move intended to cut the NHS's shortage of organs available for transplants.

Currently only those working in intensive care or casualty units bring up the subject with patients, but it is not compulsory to do so.

Guidance being finalised by the General Medical Council will make it the duty of all practising doctors, including GPs, to tackle the issue.

It is hoped the approach, which follows pressure from NHS organ donation specialists, will prevent 1,000 people a year dying while they wait for transplants.

Under the new guidelines, doctors will instigate conversations about what would happen to a patient's body after their death.

This could include speaking to those who have been recently diagnosed with a terminal condition.

Doctors' leaders have voiced concern about this, arguing that it could be inappropriate.

But the GMC said the need to increase the supply of organs outweighs the worries.

"The more doctors and patients have conversations about organ donation the more organs will be donated," said Sharon Burton of the GMC.