‘Soft opt-out’ organ donation scheme set to be introduced

Plans for a new “soft opt-out” system for organ donation are set to be introduced in Scotland.

Public health minister Aileen Campbell confirmed the Scottish Government will bring forward legislation after 82 per cent of consultation responses supported the move. She said the move would be “part of the longterm culture change in attitudes to encourage people to support donation”.

It will be part of a package of measures aimed at increasing the number of organ transplants that take place in Scotland each year.

Scotland currently has the highest proportion of donors of any country in the UK, with 25.5 donors per million people in 2016-17. A total of 45 per cent of the Scottish population have signed up to the organ donor register, with more than 116,000 people registering in 2016.

Between 2007-08 and 201617, there was a 146 per cent increase in the number of people who donated their organs after death, going from 54 to 133.

A soft opt-out system could increase that by changing the system so that people would be assumed to have consented to their organs being used to help others unless that had signed an opt-out.

The wishes of families and next of kin would continue to be respected, so removal of organs would not go ahead without their support.

Wales is the only other country in the UK that has operated a similar system – since 2015 – to the one proposed.

The Scottish Government received more than 800 responses to its consultation on the move – including a petition signed by 18,500 people in favour of the change.

Ms Campbell said: “As a result, I can confirm that we intend to bring forward legislation to introduce a soft optout system.

“This will build on the significant improvements already made as a result of the donation and transplantation plan for Scotland.”

She added: “We should not forget that organ donation is a gift which can only occur as a result of tragic circumstances, and every donor and their family has made a selfless decision which has enabled others to live.

“We need to continue doing what we can in order to help reduce the numbers of people in Scotland waiting for transplants.

“Moving to an opt-out system of organ and tissue donation will be part of the longterm culture change in attitudes to encourage people to support donation.”