Legal and Procedural Requirements
The legal requirements for brain stem death certification in the UK are set out in the 2008 AoMRC Code of Practice and must be followed precisely:
| Requirement | Detail |
| Number of doctors | Two doctors must independently perform complete sets of tests |
| Seniority | At least one must be a consultant; both must hold full GMC registration for at least 5 years |
| Specialty | Both doctors must be competent in brain stem death testing; usually the ICU consultant plus a second consultant from a relevant specialty |
| Exclusion | Neither doctor can be a member of the transplant team or have any involvement in organ donation coordination |
| Number of test occasions | Tests are performed on two separate occasions. Both sets must confirm brain stem death. |
| Time of death | The legal time of death is recorded as the time the first set of tests was completed — even if the heart continues to beat |
| Family consent | Consent from the family is NOT required to perform brain stem death tests. The diagnosis is a clinical one. |
| Documentation | Full documentation using dedicated brain stem death testing forms is mandatory in all cases |