No abstract

NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) is responsible for the procurement and allocation of human organs in the United Kingdom. Its main role is to "ensure that organs donated for transplant are matched and allocated to patients in a fair and unbiased way." NHSBT’s liver allocation policies are underpinned by the National Liver Transplant Standards, a document published by the Department of Health in 2005 to oversee patient care, patient assessment, liver allocation and transplantation, education and training, and research and development. NHSBT has developed its own liver allocation protocols under the powers assigned to it by the Department of Health, which include a "super-urgent" liver allocation policy, a Liver Allocation Sequence, and pediatric candidate liver allocation protocols.

A recent landmark petition in Scotland from a grieving mother seeking to create her own grandchild using the frozen sperm of her deceased transgender daughter has prompted debate on the creation of posthumous grandchildren. This is an unusual use of assisted reproductive technology, and it raises complicated legal and ethical questions. This article undertakes a comprehensive look at the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 (as amended) and whether it can assist grieving parents wishing to create their own biological grandchildren. It will also examine the common law on retrieval and possession of gametes in the specific context of parents, and will highlight the ethical complexities that arise for parents in particular. It will be concluded that the use of assisted reproductive technology for the purposes of creating a grandchild is not currently supported in the UK without the consent of the deceased gamete provider, and any court orders authorising this practice without such consent could be in contravention of the 1990 Act.

Allocating scarce organs to transplant candidates is only one stage in the long process of organ transplantation.

This paper reflects on the experience of two new law lecturers who took up their posts in August 2007. It considers the process of 'getting the job' as well as the period of settling into a new institution and new career path. Further reflection on those engagements is then offered by the Head of School to provide a balanced picture of the appointment of new law lecturers.