When asked ‘how fair or unfair’ England’s opt out policy for organ donation is, 60% of respondents said they think it is either ‘very’ or ‘somewhat fair’. The top reasons being that the system helps to save lives (32%), reduces the shortage of donors (16%) and enables people to opt out if they wish to (15%).
What is the opt out system?
The Organ Donation Act, also known as ‘Max and Kiera’s Law’, was introduced in 2020 to allow the families of those that die to be asked if they would like to donate, even if they’re not on the organ donation register. This means that all adults in England are now considered potential donors, unless they record a decision not to donate, or are excluded for medical reasons.
18% of respondents considered the opt out policy to be unfair, whilst 21% were neutral or unsure. When reading through the verbatim responses of the OnePoll survey however, there seemed to be some misunderstandings about how the current system works. One respondent, who considered the opt out system to be unfair, argued ‘[the] government doesn’t have the right to decide what to do with my body’.
A theme to responses from those who considered the policy unfair, is that organ donation should be personal choice. But it’s important to understand that with the current system, everyone has a choice over whether they wish to donate or not. It’s quick and simple to record your decision on the NHS Organ Donor Register, and the deceased’s loved ones will always be consulted before a donation takes place. Faith and religious beliefs are also considered. To learn more, and to record your decision on the NHS Organ Donor Register visit www.organdonation.nhs.uk.
Latest annual figures from NHS Blood & Transplant¹ show that the number of patients whose lives were saved or improved through organ transplants increased by 5% last year (2022/23). However, during the same period, consent for organ donation dropped from 66% to 62%, with a total of 1,130 families declining to give their support for donation. Some of the reasons provided included not knowing what their loved one would have wanted, feeling it was against their religious beliefs, or the family being divided over the decision.
But with over 7,000 people on the active transplant waiting list, and a further 3,822 temporarily suspended but still in need, more donors are desperately needed to help improve and even save lives¹.
Emma Simpson, Marketing Manager at pre-paid funeral plan provider Ecclesiastical Planning Services comments, "Whilst organ donation is down to personal choice and it may not be an easy conversation to have, we encourage everyone to take time to understand the process and also discuss their end of life wishes with family and friends.”
Sources: OnePoll research of 1,000 UK residents aged 50 and above, on behalf of Ecclesiastical Planning Services, October 2023.