Opt-out organ donation 'in place by 2020' for England

 new opt-out system for organ donation will be in place by 2020 in England, if Parliament approves "Max's Law".

Under the plans detailed by ministers, adults will be presumed to be organ donors unless they have specifically recorded their decision not to be.

The government said it would save up to 700 lives each year.

In the UK in 2017, 411 people died before the right donor was found, and more than 5,000 people are currently on the waiting list in England.

A similar opt-out system has been in place in Wales since 2015. Scotland plans to introduce a similar scheme and Northern Ireland has also expressed an interest.

"Max's Law" is named after Max Johnson, from Cheshire, who was saved by a heart transplant.

His search for a suitable heart was followed in a series of front-page stories in the Daily Mirror, as the newspaper campaigned for the change in the law.

Last year, Theresa May wrote to the 10-year-old, saying she chose the name after she heard his "inspirational story".

The legislation was subsequently introduced last year, and will return to the House of Commons in the autumn to be voted on.

If passed, it is expected to come into effect in England in spring 2020 - because the timetable for its introduction will allow for a year of "transition" to the new law.

The government said it would also encourage people to discuss, with their families, the issue of whether they would want to be a donor in the event of their death.

'It really is the gift of life'
Mark Smith had diabetes for 25 years, which caused his kidneys to fail. He was on the waiting list for seven months before he was able to have a kidney and pancreas transplant.

Mr Smith told BBC Breakfast that he had got in touch with the family of his donor, a 24-year-old manslaughter victim, to express his gratitude.

"Having lost a younger brother myself, I wanted them to know that I could empathise," he said. "Although I hadn't lost a child, I knew what it was like to lose someone young in very tragic circumstances."

Image caption
Mark Smith received a double transplant in 2009
Since then, he said they have been in touch several times and had become "really good friends".

"I've always been a supporter of organ donation, it's such a noble thing to do for people to give that gift - it really is the gift of life," he added.

The new system presumes that over-18s in England are in favour of donating their organs when they die, instead of the current system where people opt in by signing the NHS Organ Donor Register.

Under the new law, those who do not wish to donate their organs will still be able to opt out via the register and by using an NHS app that launches at the end of the year.

The register will also include an option for people to state their faith, if it is important to their decision.

Currently, fewer than half of families give consent for their loved one's organs to be donated if they are unaware of their wishes, and ministers hope that the new system will encourage people to make their wishes known before their death.

Research shows 82% of people support organ donation, yet only 37% have recorded their wishes on the NHS Organ Donor Register.

Under the new plans, specialist nurses will be on hand to discuss donation with families after a loved one dies.

'My Hayley saved six lives'
Hayley Louise Jordan died from a brain haemorrhage when she was 32, and her organs were donated to six people, including two children.

She had signed the organ donor register before her death, and her mum Carol says she was glad her daughter's wishes could be granted.

Image caption
Hayley Louise's mum Carol Jordan feels comfort after her daughter's organs were donated
"My Hayley had gone, she wasn't there any more," she said. "Now I've got comfort knowing she's saved six recipients.

"I just want them to have a healthy and happy life - that's the comfort I get now. "I just wanted some good to come from it.

"They were sitting waiting for a call and it's a miracle for those recipients."

Carol says she agrees with the new system of presumed consent.

"It's a good thing because you're taking the decision off the parents."

Jackie Doyle-Price, Secretary of State for Mental Health and Inequalities, said the changes could save up to 700 lives every year, but she said organ donation remained a gift.

"I want to encourage people who wish to give life in the event of their death to take the time to record their wishes and discuss it with their family," she said.

"However, we know this new system alone is not a magic bullet.

"We need to address myths and misconceptions around donation, and we will only do this by having informed debate and dialogue, which I hope will be fostered by these proposals."

'Soft opt-out'
Fiona Loud, policy director of Kidney Care UK, told BBC Breakfast the experience in Wales, where donations did not initially increase, showed the new system depended on widespread public support.

"We must have a full, consistent public education system with faith groups, schools, colleges, universities, and with the public as well," she said.

She added the new system would involve a "soft opt-out", where families could override the presumption in favour of donation if they strongly believed their dead relative would not have wanted it.

Simon Gillespie, chief executive of the British Heart Foundation, said introducing an opt-out system in England would reflect the views of the general public better.

He said: "This will also ease the agonising pain felt by many families who risk losing a loved one while they wait for an organ.

"It's still really important for all of us to have conversations with our loved ones about organ donation so our wishes can be met if the worst should happen."

donate organs
donate organs for money
donate organs after death
donate organs to science
donate organs for therapy
donate organs california
donate organs texas
donate organs in islam
donate organs quotes
donate organ after death
donate organ india
donate organ quotes
donate organ slogan
donate organ poster
donate organ australia
donate organ register
donate organ after death malaysia
donate organ ad
donate organ age
donate organ app
donate an organ
donate an organ for money
donate antique organ
organ donation application
donate a organ
donate an organ while alive
donate an organ after death
donate a musical organ
donate a hammond organ
can a smoker donate organs
can a diabetic donate organs
can a muslim donate organs
can you donate a donated organ
can a christian donate organs
donate organs bc
donate organs bangalore
donate body organ
donor organ baby
organ donor bc
organ donor bracelet
organ donor bracelet south africa
organ donor benefits
organ donor blood type
can hepatitis b donate organ
organ donor centre
organ donate chennai
donor organ consent
donor organ criteria
organ donor canada
organ donor card ireland
organ donor commercial
organ donor cancer
organ donor california
can hep c donate organs
donor organ definition
donor organ drivers license
donate life organ donation
organ donor dj shadow
organ donor day
organ donor dmv
organ donor database
organ donor driver's license ireland
donate organs if you have cancer
donate organ eyes
donate organs essay
donate electric organ
donate electronic organ
donor organ ethical issues
organ donor eligibility
organ donor eyes
organ donor exclusion criteria
organ donor essay
organ donor extended overhaul
organ donor guidelines
organ donor germany
organ donor gifts
organ donor good or bad
organ donor game
organ donor girl
organ donor gif
organ donor georgia
organ donor ga license
donate hammond organ
donor organ harvesting
donor organ haram
donor organ halal atau haram
organ donor horror stories
organ donor honor walk
organ donor hashtags
organ donor how long after death
organ donor hiv positive
organ donor humboldt
donate organ in malaysia
donate organ in singapore
donate organ in delhi
donate organ in kerala
donate organ in chennai
organ donation images
can i donate organs
should i donate organs
can i donate organs after cancer
can i donate organs while alive
i will donate organs to rbg
can i donate organs with hiv
how do i donate organs
i want to donate organs
i refuse to donate organs
donor organ jonghyun
donor organ jakarta
donor organ jogja
organ donor jobs
organ donor jokes
organ donor jeremy messersmith
organ donor jewelry
organ donor jesus
organ donor jeremy messersmith lyrics
organ donor judaism
donate organ kerala
donate organ kidneys
organ donor keychain
organ donor killed
organ donor kidney
organ donor kill you
organ donor keyring
organ donor kerala
organ donor kidnapping
organ donor kentucky
donate organ list
donate life organ
donate lowrey organ
donate life organ transplant
donor organ list
donor organ liver
donate organ save life
donate organs save lives
donate organ music
donate organ means
donate my organ
donate musical organ near me
organ donation movie
donor organ menurut agama islam
donor organ memory
donor organ meaning
donor organ match
donate organ name
organ donate nhs
organ donor news
organ donate nagpur
organ donation news bhopal
donor organ names
donor organ nurses
organ donor nsw
n organ donor
donate organ.org
donate organs ontario
donate organs or not
donor organ opt out
organ donor on license
organ donor on driving licence
organ donor organizations
organ donor or not
organ donor ohio
organ donor opt in
organ donation
can o- donate organs to anyone
organ donor
who can o+ donate organs to
can o negative donate organs to anyone
donate organ ppt
donate pump organ
organ donation procedure
donor organ pdf
donor organ preservation
donor organ prices
donor organ perfusion
organ donor pros and cons
donor organ quality
organ donor quotes
organ donor qld
organ donor qualifications
organ donor questions
organ donor queensland
organ donor quebec
organ donor questionnaire
organ donor quilt
donate organ registry
organ donation rangoli
organ donor registration
organ donor reddit
donor organ register
donor organ rejection
donor organ recovery services
donor organ registry
donor organ recovery
donor organ shortage
donor organ stories
donor organ system
organ donor south africa
organ donor statistics
organ donor sign up
organ donor scotland
organ donor symbol
donate organ to family member
donate organ to science
donate organ transplant
donate organ to
donate organ trade
donate to organ donors
donate their organ
donate an organ to a stranger
organ donor uk opt out
organ donor uk register
organ donor usa
organ donor uae
organ donor uz remix
organ donor update details
organ donor urban dictionary
organ donor unregister
organ donor us
can u donate organs in islam
can u donate organs with a tattoo
can u donate organs after death
what can u donate organs
can u donate your organs in islam
what happens when u donate organs
donate organs victoria
organ donation video
donor organ viability
donor organ vital
donate vital organs
organ donor victoria
organ donor virginia
organ donor volunteer
organ donor video with dog and old man
organ donor visa usa
donate wurlitzer organ
organ donor wiki
organ donor walk of respect
organ donor wa
organ donor website
organ donor week
organ donor wakes up
organ donor wales
organ donor week 2018
why should we donate organs
can we donate organs in islam
how can we donate organs
why should we donate organs after death
why we donate organs
can we donate organs after death
can we donate organs after tattoo
why shouldn't we donate organs
organs we can donate while alive
organ donor xkcd
donate your organ
donate yamaha organ
organ donor yes or no
organ donor youtube
organ donor yukon
organ donor youtube dj shadow
organ donor yahoo answers
care to donate your organ
you donate organ
organ donor zomboy
organ donor z9
organ donor za
organ donor zomboy lyrics
3 reasons to donate organs
sims 3 donate an organ
organ donor 9z
organ donor 90 minutes