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Organ Donor Regulations in Wales - Rest of UK?

If this policy became UK-wide...  

33 members have voted

  1. 1. If this policy became UK-wide...

    • If you're already registered, would you NOT "Opt Out"
      23
    • If you're already registered, would you "Opt Out"
      1
    • If you're not already registered, would you NOT "Opt Out"
      4
    • If you're not already registered, would you "Opt Out"
      5


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I understand and respect both sides of the argument, but if I could share my own experience and change just one persons perspective on this, that would make me very happy.

 

I have been in the fortunate position to be able to donate a kidney to my beautiful younger Sis. That was 5 years ago. Nothing changed for me, I have one kidney that is doing a grand job and my Sis has her life back to some sort of normality, doing all the things we take for granted.

 

Sadly I know of two others (one a family member and one a friend of the family) currently undergoing dialysis - if I could return to the wonderful renal unit at the Northern General tomorrow and donate again I would do so in a heartbeat.

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Strongly oppose this measure. Your body is your body. This shifts the assumption to the state having first dibs on your organs and is quite simply wrong. The act of donation should be a positive one. There should be increased efforts to get people to opt in.

 

The state? I think you mean another dying person.

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I am registered to donate whatever they want. If people are dying for want of a bit of my old insides when I no longer need them then that would be a bad thing. I think an automatic opt in is a no-brainer for adults, its a bit more difficult with children - maybe if the parents were guaranteed that their child's organs were going to another child, it might be easier for them.

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My body is mine and no one else's. Im uneasy with the government taking the position that just because consent had not been given either way, they assume its given.

 

It seems to me that the government has given up trying to convince people and will now just take what they want if they are not told they cannot.

 

---------- Post added 09-12-2015 at 23:48 ----------

 

The state? I think you mean another dying person.

 

No the dying person does not get the choice, the state by way of the NHS take that decision and then offer them to the dying person.

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My body is mine and no one else's.

As it still will be if England follows Wales

Im uneasy with the government taking the position that just because consent had not been given either way, they assume its given.

 

It seems to me that the government has given up trying to convince people and will now just take what they want if they are not told they cannot.

They won't take what they want, they (the hospitals) can only take the usual conventional organs and may only use them in other patients.

 

No the dying person does not get the choice, the state by way of the NHS take that decision and then offer them to the dying person.

The donor gets the choice. If they choose to allow the donorship (which will be much easier if the change goes ahead) then the NHS can go ahead and try to save another patient's life with those organs.

 

The donor still gets first choice, the only thing that will change is that you have to make a couple of mouse-clicks to prevent your organs from saving anyone, rather than making some mouse-clicks to try to save people.

 

Going back to your first line though...

 

"My body is mine and no one else's."

 

That may be true, while you're alive.

As far as I'm aware, the dead have no rights. Any wishes you want to be honoured after death need to be sorted before hand so technically, having the choice to specifically opt out would suit your position more than the current system.

 

You could categorically say "No", whereas currently if you don't choose to consent, you may still have your organs taken anyway in some circumstances.

Edited by RootsBooster

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No the dying person does not get the choice, the state by way of the NHS take that decision and then offer them to the dying person.

 

As I've said earlier on this thread, your relatives will ultimately have the final say over organ donation. The NHS would use the donation register to help guide your relatives in making their decision, but if you were on the organ donation register and your relatives were finding it too difficult to agree to the donation, then their wishes would be respected.

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As I've said earlier on this thread, your relatives will ultimately have the final say over organ donation. The NHS would use the donation register to help guide your relatives in making their decision, but if you were on the organ donation register and your relatives were finding it too difficult to agree to the donation, then their wishes would be respected.

 

Like I said in the last post, the new system would actually suit those who are unhappy with it, better!

Choosing to opt out makes it more difficult for anyone else (including family) to have a say in what happens to your organs.

From here

If you opt out of organ donation, your decision must be respected and no organs should be taken. If you die in a way you could become an organ donor but have opted out, then it is likely your family will be informed of your decision.

Your family would need to produce clear evidence that you changed your mind to overturn an opt-out decision.

So under the new system a person would have more control in what happens to their organs after death.

I'd be interested to see an argument against that.

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My body is mine and no one else's. Im uneasy with the government taking the position that just because consent had not been given either way, they assume its given.

 

It seems to me that the government has given up trying to convince people and will now just take what they want if they are not told they cannot.

 

---------- Post added 09-12-2015 at 23:48 ----------

 

 

No the dying person does not get the choice, the state by way of the NHS take that decision and then offer them to the dying person.

 

Actually who 'owns' your body once you are dead? Serious question.

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Actually who 'owns' your body once you are dead? Serious question.

 

I don't think anyone owns it, as far as I'm aware once you're dead you no longer have any rights either, which is why it's important to make your wishes known before you die.

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An advert appeared on radio/tv late last year, as it seemed that when asked, relatives were still blocking donations from being used, even after a decision had been made by the donor...

 

 

Be interesting to see what happens in England now!!

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It's about time.

Until you have cared for someone who is waiting for a transplant of some kind you can have no idea of the desperation and fear the person and their loved ones go through.

If it means that more organs will be available then it's GOT to go ahead.

I have been on the register for years and will continue to be so - they can whatever is of any use to them cos I won't be needing them when I go.

I think it's a conversation that everyone should have with their loved ones before the worst happens.

I have made my family promise me that they will offer any bits of me that might help someone after I die- however difficult that might be for them.

Edited by Daven

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