Scottish Donation and Transplant Group written update: August 2024

Living donation

Update given by:

• Jen Lumsdaine, Living Donor Co-ordinator, NHS Lothian

Education and publicity

The Annual Scottish Kidney Federation Conference was held in Aberdeen in May providing an opportunity to liaise with patients and kidney charity partners to highlight living donation initiatives. 

Kidney Care UK’s magazine ‘Kidney Matters’ has featured articles on Renal Education and Choices at Home (REACH) Transplant in consecutive publications.

Timely transplantation

The short-term working group, chaired by Ms Karen Stevenson, Consultant Transplant Surgeon, Glasgow, continues work to explore barriers to timely transplantation in Scotland, including pre-emptive living donor transplantation and timely listing for deceased donor transplantation. Data has been shared with all link nephrologists with visits to units started in August to further discuss local initiatives.

REACH Transplant

The REACH Transplant nurses attended in person study days with guest speaker Bushra Riaz, Kidney Research UK discussing cultural and faith peer educator initiatives. A poster presentation outlining the programme was presented at UK Kidney Week meeting in Edinburgh in June 24.

Living donor co-ordinator competencies

A working group has completed national competencies for coordinators and specialist nurses working in living donation in Scotland. Although these are intended for newly appointed coordinators there has been a request for implementation throughout all teams, with a system of peer support and mentorship to be arranged between units.

The number of healthcheck questionnaire (HCQ) returns to all units

Kidney transplants Scotland 2016-2023