OPT OUT NEEDED AS A SOLUTION FOR THE UK
Kidney Wales Foundation in today welcoming news of the publication and progressive nature of the new Human Transplantation Bill in Wales says the rest of the UK must now follow.
Wales is looking to improve organ donation with new laws coming into force in 2015.
“The UK needs to change its law on organ donation as it is not likely to achieve the UK Organ Donor Taskforce target to increase organ donor rates by 50% by 2013” says Kidney Wales Foundation.
Roy J Thomas of Kidney Wales Foundation said:
“The Welsh people see this as an important measure and so have leading politicians cross all political divides. Other parts of the UK are currently below the levels of Wales and Scotland on the organ donor register. The message from those who oppose Opt Out legislation such as certain Westminster MPs and London Professors is that we must get more people to sign the organ donor register or that education is needed. Wales is looking at progressive change. Those who oppose stand still in the dark ages and do not have the vision needed to change the culture and save lives. “
“Education programmes on organ donation have been happening in the UK for decades and still three people die every day waiting in the UK and one person dies a week in Wales. With change we get more lives being saved.”
“With an Opt Out system there would be more organs available. More importantly, there would be a change in culture. We need more organ donors as there are currently only 33% of the population on the register whereas over 90% would give.”
Mr Thomas added: “In the UK, 400 of the 18 million people signed up to the organ donor register die every day. Only 2 go on become organ donors. This is simply not enough.”
Mr Thomas added further: “Opt out is a change of emphasis; it is about giving; it is a change in culture. Transplanting more organs would save lives and save the Health Service in the UK a fortune compared to the cost of dialysis.”
Kidney Wales Foundation supports the stance of the National Kidney Federation (NKF) who stated too many people were dying because of a poor strategy in efforts to boost rates of donation when people die.
The UK Organ Donor Taskforce set a target to increase organ donor rates by 50% by 2013.
The NKF said that the Department of Health in Whitehall has stated that the target will be met but the NKF are absolutely certain it will not be.
The change in legislation is supported by leading Welsh charities and the BMA.
NOTES
Kidney Wales Foundation welcomes the Welsh Government’s proactive measures to save lives and fully support its plans to change the law on organ donation by introducing a system of ‘soft opt-out’ in Wales. It is currently looking at implementation of the proposals.
Kidney Wales believes that under system of Opt Out, Welsh residents should be presumed to be organ donors on death unless:
•They have joined an Opt Out Register
•They cannot be identified
•The person’s place of residence cannot be identified
•The wishes of the deceased can be proven contrary after relatives have been contacted
•Immediate relatives object.
. OPT OUT NEEDED AS A SOLUTION FOR THE UK
Kidney Wales Foundation in today welcoming news of the publication and progressive nature of the new Human Transplantation Bill in Wales says the rest of the UK must now follow.
Wales is looking to improve organ donation with new laws coming into force in 2015.