The BOUnD study was completed in 2021, looking at the ways in which potential donors are screened and prepared for the donation experience and what comes afterwards.

The study was the largest of its kind to date, with the aim of investigating the experiences of individuals who donate a kidney in the UK, including those who complete the donation, are eventually medically withdrawn, or self-withdraw.

The study concludes that, although all donors enter the process with a similar level of commitment, those who did not proceed to donation expressed dissatisfaction and lingering emotional consequences linked to lack of follow-up from transplant teams. The implication for the UKD programme is that, from the beginning, there needs to be a strategic and consistent approach to managing expectations, to better prepare those who embark on the donation process for all possible outcomes and their associated emotional consequences.