Call for an instant quote 0345 90 80 161
Open Mon to Fri 09:00 - 17:30 | Sat 09:00 - 16:00 (GMT)
05 December 2017 08:17
Wales is the first country in the UK to introduce opt-out organ donation
Organ donation consent from families in Wales has increased since the introduction of an opt-out system, a new study has shown.
According to the figures, the percentage of families giving consent for organ donation has risen from 44.4% before the implementation in 2014, to 64.5% in 2017.
The increase in support has been identified as part of an evaluation of the Human Transplantation (Wales) Act that was has been in place for two years.
Health professional backing
The study also found that NHS staff are more supportive of change in legislation.
The number of the health professionals who are in favour of the act has risen by more than a fifth (20.1%), increasing from 71% before the change, to 85% since.
Vaughan Gething, the Welsh health secretary, says he welcomes the findings of the study, adding: "I congratulate the healthcare professionals involved in making this a success however, none of what we have achieved would have been possible without the support of the Welsh population."
Leading the UK
Wales is the first British country to introduce a soft opt-out system of consent to organ donation, and the act came into force on December 1, 2015.
The legislation means people are considered to have no objection to being an organ donor unless they have specifically opted out.
In June this year, Scotland announced that it is to implement a similar system, known as presumed consent, following overwhelming support for opt-out proposals (85%).
England is also considering introducing the approach, and the health secretary Jeremy Hunt announced in October that the Government has plans for a 12-week consultation.
Transplant patients can enjoy a full and active lifestyle with holidays abroad, by talking out medical travel insurance.
16 August 2018
Holidaymakers in the UK will be hit by more train price hikes from next year, after the Government announced ticket prices will increase by 3.2% in January.
[more...]
15 August 2018
A simple blood test could help GPs detect a rare form of bone marrow cancer much earlier, a new study suggests.
14 August 2018
Passengers arriving at Heathrow Airport last month faced queues of over two and a half hours at passport control, new figures have revealed.
11 August 2018
Hundreds of Ryanair flights will not take off as planned on Friday due to pilot strikes in five countries.
10 August 2018
Fad diets that cut out carbs while increasing fat consumption could lead to an increased risk of diabetes, according to new research.
09 August 2018
HIV testing has become even more accessible after a self-testing kit was made available from a High Street retailer.
08 August 2018
Women patients are more likely to survive a heart attack if they are treated by a female doctor, a new US study has revealed.
07 August 2018
The head of British Airways has branded two-hour queues facing travellers at Heathrow's passport control as a "border farce."
04 August 2018
Simple factors such as gender and body mass can help doctors to personalise care for patients with type 2 diabetes and avoid harmful side effects, according to a study.
03 August 2018
Gatwick Express must no longer claim it runs "non-stop to Victoria station in half an hour" and "in just 30 minutes" unless it can achieve the time in most cases, a watchdog has ruled.
02 August 2018
A charity is calling for greater access to respite support after it emerged that 72% of Britain's 700,000 young carers feel lonely and isolated during the summer holidays.
01 August 2018
A plan to build new rail links with Heathrow Airport and connect Windsor's two train stations have been submitted to the Government.