The government is consulting on changing the organ donation sysem to an opt-out system.

Donations help save many lives but 3 people die a day because of a lack of suitable organs.

Many people say they are willing to donate their organs but do not register to be an organ donor.

The current rules in England say you must have given consent to donate your organs while you were alive. Families can consent but the number in England that do so is significantly lower than many other countries with an organ donation programme.

The consultation is short and quick with nine questions asking you about issues such as

• how much say families have in their deceased relative’s decision to donate their organs
• when exemptions to ‘opt-out’ would be needed, and what safeguards would be necessary
• how a new system might affect certain groups depending on age, disability, race or faith

The consultation and associated documentation is here and is open until 6th March 2018.

Sally Johnson, Director of Organ Donation and Transplantation for NHS Blood and Transplant, said: “We welcome the Government’s commitment to the lifesaving power of organ donation, which is demonstrated by the desire to hold a consultation into an opt out system.

“We support any initiative which leads to more organ donors and more lives being saved.

“We hope people will join the national conversation about organ donation that the consultation brings. Whatever the consultation decides, make sure your family know what you want. If you support organ donation, act today by telling your family you want to donate and join the NHS Organ Donor Register.”

January 26, 2018