UKDEC Terms of Reference

The UKDEC’s main responsibilities are to:

• Consider ethical issues, both general and specific, relating to the field of organ donation and transplantation. Provide independent advice to clinicians, policy leads and others as appropriate and/or relevant issues referred to the group by local donation committees

• Develop and maintain links with relevant professional and ethical associations/societies

• Ensure that advice given is independent and not unduly influenced by the views of any other organisation or individual

• Produce, maintain and circulate guidelines relating to ethical issues on organ donation and transplantation

• Support Local Clinical and Research Ethics Committees, and Donation Committees in their provision of out of hours advice at a local level, based on DEC frameworks

• Assist in the development of training content for those involved in organ donation and transplantation

• Collate any advice given locally, based on DEC frameworks, to harmonise advice where appropriate, determine whether any issues have any regional/national implications and take action as appropriate

• Be accountable to the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges:  
  • Setting out an annual work programme
  • Providing an annual report summarising work undertaken and accounting for the use of funds
  • Liaising with the Academy before publications are put in the public domain