MSP: Opt out could save thousands waiting for organ transplants

May 6 2008 by Richard Simpson, Labour MSP

HAVING been brought up in Perth, I am delighted to be writing my first article for the Perthshire Advertiser today as a Labour MSP and Shadow Public Health Spokesman.

It is perhaps fortuitous that this contribution coincides with the upcoming launch of the Perthshire Advertiser's campaign on Organ Donation.

I am somewhat of a veteran of this campaign having been very closely linked with these issues in my past life as a GP and author of the Health Committee report on Organ Transplantation.

What I have been aware of in my 30 years in medicine is that the system we have here in the UK is not fit for purpose.

The United Kingdom has one of the lowest rates of organ transplants in Europe, yet demand for transplants is increasing.

Put low donation rates and high demand together and what you come up with us a transplant list which is getting longer and longer.

I am lucky enough to have never required an organ donation, but sadly there are 7000 people in the UK now who are not so lucky and find themselves on the transplant list.

The chilling statistic is that many of those 7000 people will die still waiting.

Studies have shown that a new Organ Donation system could save between 25-30% of these people.

The so called 'soft presumed consent' system means that everyone can opt in or opt out, but when the deceased has not registered then a presumption of consent should be confirmed by consulting the family.

This system works well in other European Countries, particularly in Spain where three times more people sign up per million than here in the UK. That is also three times as many lives saved.

I would encourage all Perthshire Advertiser readers to sign up for Organ Donation and I would be more than happy to send you the necessary forms.

MSP and MPs have a role in both leading and supporting campaigns to improve life for constituents.

Gordon Banks and I are also running a campaign to end the production of looped blind cords which have claimed the lives of many young people in the UK and beyond.

We are also suppor ting the COBRA Campaign to re-open Blackford Railway Station and these will be some of the issues I hope to cover in forthcoming columns.