Dobson: warm welcome for ‘visionary’ Welsh organ donation legislation

Ulster Unionist Health Spokesperson, Jo-Anne Dobson MLA, has welcomed the new soft opt-out legislation which comes into effect in Wales from today. 

The Upper Bann MLA, whose son received a kidney transplant in 2009, said:

“The Welsh legislation sees the first region of the United Kingdom taking a visionary step forward in modernising their organ donation laws to a new ‘soft opt-out’ system. 

“The reason behind this change in law is simple - organ donation saves lives and increasing the rate of organ donation will allow us to save more lives.  This is especially important when the latest figures show us that 17 people tragically died last year in Northern Ireland while waiting for a transplant.

“The Welsh First Minister Carwyn Jones has described the system as ‘law making in Wales at its best’ and I couldn’t agree more.  I have had the privilege of meeting his colleague the Welsh Health Minister Mark Drakeford AM on a number of occasions and of hosting an event at Stormont last year where I joined forces with Mark and Scottish MSP Anne McTaggart in support of the soft opt-out system for all three devolved regions of the United Kingdom. 

“As Northern Ireland is part of the UK wide Organ Donor Pool, local patients will also directly benefit from this new Welsh legislation. However, if we are prepared to accept an increase in available organs coming to our hospitals through the Welsh legislation, then we should be prepared to do our bit to save lives across the United Kingdom by changing our laws.  We should be fully playing our part in the United Kingdom; not watching from the side-lines.

“As I continue to progress my soft opt-out organ donation Bill at Stormont I firmly believe that Northern Ireland as a devolved region should follow the leadership shown by the Welsh Assembly and modernise our laws.  Although I am bringing the legislation forward as a back-bench member of the Assembly I welcome the recent opportunity to work alongside the Department of Health to help create the best bill for Northern Ireland.

“I will be watching very carefully to see how the change in Wales impacts on donations and look forward to the Committee stage of my Private Members Bill.  I have said consistently that I remain open to working with anyone on any aspect of the Bill and that commitment remains as I begin to work with the Department of Health.”

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