Doctors need training in how to ask grieving parents for their children's organs NHS Blood and Transplant has said, as the number of organ donations has plateaued.

Parents are being urged by the blood and transplant service to consider organ donation when their child dies as new figures show the number donating has not changed in more than five years.

Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock, who is backing a new NHS campaign to drive up the number of donors, said people “must not shy away from this difficult, and potentially life-saving, conversation.”

“Hundreds of young lives were saved last year because of the selfless actions of 57 families. We must find the strength to have the incredibly difficult conversations that have the potential to save the lives of children and babies," he added.

While donations from adults have risen by a fifth since 2003/4, the numbers from children have remained static.

Around half of families who are approached about organ donation following the death of a child consent to their organs being used, but half do not.

There are currently 177 children waiting for an organ transplant in the UK. In 2017/18, 17 children died waiting for a transplant.

In the same year, organs from 57 children resulted in 200 transplant operations, but this is barely up on the 55 child donors in 2013/14.