Award for mortuary manager

MORTUARY Manager at the James Paget University Hospitals, Iain Johnstone, will receive the Martyn Jon Walton Award for services to tissue banking.

This award, being presented on Friday, recognises the significant contributions of Iain and his team in setting up and running the eye and tissue retrieval service at JPUH from 1993. The whole team has been recognized as being fully committed to this very important service, ensuring it is always delivered to the very highest standard.

The award is given by the British Association of Tissue Banking (BATB) for initiatives that have improved services offered to donor families and advanced understanding of the importance of tissue donation.

Mr Johnstone said: 'I am delighted and honoured to receive this award on behalf of the team here at the James Paget. The eye and tissue retrieval is a very sensitive service run by our expert team.

“Any potential donors are identified by the bereavement or the mortuary team and the families approached, always within 24 hours after someone has died. The national organ donor register is checked first.

“Donation is always an option for families, and many are very happy to consider it because they see a chance to help someone, or indeed many people, after their loved one has died. Often they feel it is just what their loved one will have wanted.'

Adrian Pennington, chief executive said: 'Iain and his team in the mortuary service, alongside the coroner's staff, and our bereavement and eye bank team are nationally recognised for the high standard of service they provide in tissue and eye retrieval.

“It is entirely right that they should receive this award, and we are all really proud of the service they provide to donor families and patients who benefit from their excellent work.”