Eye donation in hospice and hospital palliative care settings: perceptions, practice, and service development needs – findings from a national survey

Abstract

ObjectivesNew routes for supply of eye tissue are needed in the UK to support transplant surgery and medical research. Hospice care (HC) and Hospital-based Palliative care (HPC) services represent potential supply routes. This paper reports findings from the survey arm of the Eye Donation from Palliative and Hospice Care–Investigating potential, practice preference and perceptions study (EDiPPPP), objectives of which were to: i) Investigate existing practice in relation to eye donation across HC and HPC settings; ii) identify perceptions of HCPs toward embedding eye donation into routine end of life care planning; iii) investigate the informational, training, or support needs of clinicians regarding eye donation.DesignOnline survey of UK-based HC and HPC clinicians, distributed through professional organisations (Association of Palliative Medicine (UK); Hospice UK).ParticipantsOne hundred fifty-six participants completed (63% HC; 37% HPC—8% response rate, of n = 1894 approached).ResultsMajority of participants (63%, n = 99) supported raising eye donation (ED) with patients and families and agreed that ED should be discussed routinely with eligible patients. However, 72%, (n = 95) indicated that staff within their clinical setting did not routinely discuss the option of ED in end-of-life care planning conversations with the majority of participants reporting that the option of ED was not ‘routinely discussed in multi-disciplinary team or other meetings.ConclusionsDespite significant support, ED is not part of routine practice. Attention to barriers to embedding ED and reducing knowledge deficits are urgently needed to increase the supply of eye tissue for use in transplant operations.