Consultation over organ donation

Highlands and Islands Labour MSP, Rhoda Grant, is encouraging people to respond to the Scottish Government’s consultation on increasing the number of organ and tissue donors in Scotland.

The consultation asks people to give their views on measures including the introduction of a soft opt-out system for organ donation, similar to legislation in Wales which has seen dozens of lives saved since it came into effect in December last year.

Under an opt-out system, organs could be removed from a dead person if they had not registered or expressed an objection during their lifetime. People have to opt in under the current system which includes signing up to a register.

Mrs Grant said: “Blood, organ and stem cell donation saves lives. Any change in legislation which brings about an increase in donations has to be welcomed and I would encourage people to respond to the consultation.

“I had hoped the Scottish Government would have backed the Transplantation Bill put forward by my former colleague, Anne McTaggart, earlier this year but they didn’t. This consultation provides another opportunity for progress to be made on this and I very much hope advancement comes from this and the law is changed accordingly to save more lives.”

Consultation over organ donation

11 December 2016