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Organ donation

Related Links

Opt-out systems of organ donation: International evidence review

This review was carried out with the aim of updating an existing systematic review.

The role of families in organ donation: International evidence review

This report provides a general overview of extant research involving the families of potential organ donors.

Draft Human Transplantation (Wales) Bill

The Welsh Government  is committed to increasing the number of organs and tissues available for transplant.

Public Attitudes to Organ Donation: Baseline Survey 2012

This report presents baseline findings from which changes in public attitudes, awareness and understanding of the organ donation system can be monitored.
People

We are committed to continuing efforts to increase organ donation rates.


Have a heart to heart with your family and friends 

Heart to Heart logo
Knowing each other’s wishes about organ donation could save many lives in the long term.  Family refusal is a major factor that affects the numbers of organ donations and  the main reason for refusal is lack of knowledge of their loved one’s wishes.

When families are faced with a difficult decision on whether to donate a relative’s organs, they often say no as they were unsure of what their loved one would have wanted.

Research suggests if family members know that organ donation is what the deceased would have wanted, in almost 90% of cases, relatives will agree to participate in the donation process.

The same research work indicates that if next of kin are aware of the deceased person’s wishes around organ donation, they will usually follow these wishes, whether it is to donate the organs or not.  

In addition, the next of kin feel that they don’t have to make the decision themselves as they are simply following the previously known wishes of their loved ones.

So pledge to have a heart to heart with your family today. Details on how to register your wish to be an organ donor can be found at the bottom of the page.

Human Transplantation (Wales) Bill

We introduced the Human Transplantation (Wales) Bill to the National Assembly for Wales on Dec 3rd 2012. The Bill will introduce a soft opt-out system for consent to deceased organ and tissue donation in Wales.

The aim of the Bill is to increase the number of organs and tissues available for transplant. This will benefit the people of Wales by reducing the number of people dying whilst waiting for a suitable organ to become available and improving the lives of others.

If the legislation is passed, an extensive two year public information campaign will follow to ensure members of the public are fully informed on what the changes will mean and the choices they can make. 

The Bill and details of the legislative processes can be found on the National Assembly for Wales website

Soft opt-out system

In a soft opt-out system a person’s consent to donation will be deemed to have been given unless they objected during their lifetime - a process called opting out - but where those closest to the deceased will still have an important role to play in the process. 

Under the new law, adults who live and die in Wales will be deemed to have given their consent to donation unless they:

  • Register a wish to be a donor (opt in) or 
  • Register a wish not to be a donor (opt out)
People will need to be over the age of 18 and to have lived in Wales for 6 months or more for deemed consent to apply.  Where deemed consent applies, the law will allow family members to provide information to show the deceased person would not have wished to consent. People who lack capacity to understand that consent could be deemed are also excluded from this new system. 

We plan to bring this new law into effect in 2015.  Before then, people will be given plenty of information and time to decide what to do.

Why?

Transplanting organs and tissues is one of the most successful forms of medical treatment. One donor can improve or save up to nine lives by donating their organs and many more through the donation of their tissues. Most people say they are in favour of organ donation and would accept an organ if they needed one, but this is not reflected in the donation rate or the number of people on the current Organ Donor Register.
 
As a result of many improvements, Wales has seen a 49% increase in donation rates since 2008. However there is still a shortage of organs for transplant. In 2011/12, 41 people in Wales died whilst waiting for an organ.

Very few people die in the circumstances where organ donation will be a possibility. Therefore it is important to have a system in place to ensure the maximum number of donors as possible can be identified.

How can I register a wish to be a donor now?

Members of the public can sign up to the NHS Organ Donor Register in a variety of ways, including:

  • registering online;
  • by contacting the NHS Donor Line (0300 123 23 23);
  • when registering for a driving licence with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA);
  • when registering with a GP;
  • when requesting a European Health Insurance Card; and
  • applying for a Boots Advantage Card.