Requesting tissue donation.

Potentials h e r e is little doubt among healthcare profession.! als and ministers that the organ donation rate in the UK should be higher than it is (Barber eta/ 2006). Less publicised though is the need for an increase in the number of people who are willing to donate tissues such as corneas, skin, bone, heart valves, tendons and ligaments (Loo et a1 2008). Donors of organs can also donate tissue and, when the subject of organ donation is broached with families, tissue donation is usually mentioned too. For donated organs to be useful, the donors must be brainstem dead or must have died after a period of mechanical support in hospital. Few deaths meet