More than 200,000 Redbridge residents to be added to the organ donor register under new law
The government has announced that, subject to parliamentary approval, the law change relating to organ donation will come into effect on the May 20. Picture: PA Images/Clive Gee - Credit: PA Archive/PA Images
On Tuesday, it was announced a law will be implemented that will see everyone automatically registered as organ donors.
It will mean that all adults across the UK will be considered as having agreed to donate their own organs when they die unless they record a decision not to donate, what is known as "opt out", or are in one of the excluded groups.
If approved in parliament, Max and Keira's Law will come into effect on May 20.
Even after the law changes, families will be consulted before any organ or tissue donation goes ahead and NHS Blood and transplant specialist nurses will continue to support families about their family member's decision.
In Redbridge, 60,962 people, are registered of the Redbridge's 303,000 meaning that of the remaining 80 per cent, of those eligible approximately 242,038 will be added to the register. Eight deceased donated their organs resulting in a substantial 36 successful transplants, Currently there are 37 people on the transplant waiting list.
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In neighbouring Havering, there are 70,007 registered on the NHS organ donor register as of January 5 2020, which is a mere 27pc of the borough's 257,000.
This means that 187,993 people will be put on the register and automatically be donating after their death (given the organs needs and that have are healthy) as of May this year.
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In the borough in the last year, six people on the register died and as a result 14 organs were transplanted. At present there are 26 people waiting for transplants.
In Newham, one of London most populous boroughs, an even smaller amount are currently registered with just 16 per cent.
The latest NHS Blood and Transplant awareness survey, carried out last month showed that 62pc of the population aged 16 years or over in England are aware that the law around organ donation will be changing.
This has risen from the baseline of 46pc recorded prior to the launch of the law change awareness campaign, 'Pass it on', which officially launched in April 2019.
Laura Beattie is one of 6,000 people across the UK still waiting for a transplant. Laura, 31, from Manchester, has cystic fibrosis and has been waiting for a lung transplant since August 2018.
She said: "There are always mixed emotions, especially depending on how you feel on each day.
"It is always in the back of my mind and sometimes it does come to the forefront. I always have to have my phone on me and have it on loud as I don't know when the call is coming.
