Wales votes for opt out approach to Organ Donation from 1st December 2015

July 2 2014

Human Transplantation (Wales) Act

The Human Transplantation Wales Act received Royal Assent on 10 September 2013. This law will come fully into effect on 1st December 2015. Until then, the current opt-in system will remain in place.

The Act introduces a soft opt-out system for consent to deceased organ and tissue donation in Wales from 2015.

The aim of the Act 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.

The Act and details of the legislative processes can be found on the National Assembly for Wales website (external link)

Organ Donation Wales

Organ Donation Wales (external link) features the stories of families who have received and donated organs, and information about the changes to the law.

You do not need to make any decisions yet. A two year information campaign has started to ensure you are fully informed on what the changes will mean and the choices you can make. For now, we would encourage everyone to ensure that people close to them are aware of their wishes regarding donation.

You can view our new TV advert and the behind the scenes film (external link) on Organ Donation Wales.