Soft option undermines last kindness

It was a Jersey study, but there is no reason to believe the results here would be any different.

The imbalance is clear and that is part of the reason why in the UK there are more than 6,300 people on the active transplant waiting list, yet only 1,413 donors in a year.

Sadly, 470 of those waiting died in 2016-2017 while 875 were too ill for surgery.

Given that only 1% of people die at a time when their organs can be harvested (ie. in intensive care) and only 13% of people are on the organ donor register in the first place it is clear that society must do more to save lives.

Health & Social Care’s report is a step in the right direction. The number of donations will never be huge in this island but it is hard to argue against allowing people to help others through their deaths.

An opt-out system, due for debate next week, allows for those with an objection to donating their organs to rest easy, secure in the knowledge that their wishes will be honoured.

More than that, if they are willing to donate their kidneys and liver but not, say, their lungs or pancreas, it is possible to stipulate that.

The report is strong in its defence of the rights of people who do not wish to donate their organs.

What is puzzling is that HSC do not extend the same courtesy to people who are just as keen to donate their organs should they die.

For, under the ‘soft’ opt-out system proposed, even the most determined donor can be overruled.

They may have signed the register and indicated their strong wishes but, at the crucial moment, a family member can still step in and say no.

This is not what most of the 688 people who responded to a States consultation wanted.

Yes, the number of would-be donors who will be affected is not huge.

Nine out of 10 families, made aware of their loved one’s wishes, will honour them.

But, on something so crucial, it seems wrong to deny any person their final act of kindness.