Year 10 and Year 12 students at Queen Elizabeth’s Girls’ School (QEGS) in Barnet were informed about the change in law on organ donation in England at special
assemblies in July 2019. This was a joint initiative by QEGS and the Organ Donation Committee (ODC) of the Royal Free Hospital.
A leaflet on the change in law on organ donation was given out produced by NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) was given out to all students. A copy of the NHSBT form to register to donate organ was available to all students to take home with a request to discuss it with their family members.
Prior to the assembly, Violet Walker, Headteacher, arranged a briefing for all teachers on the change in law on organ donation.
Following the assembly, a group of fifteen Year 12 students who are hoping to pursue a career related to medicine, took part in a QA with the speakers for about 30 minutes.
A survey of what students know about organ donation was undertaken before and after the assemblies. The result of both surveys shows that a significant increase in the number of students who know about the change in law after the assemblies. It also shows that there is a significant increase in understanding the importance of ethnicity as an important factor in matching organs.