AN opt out organ donation system in Scotland has moved a step closer with the launch of a government consultation.

Ministers are asking the public to give their opinion on organ and tissue donation, including opt out.

The Evening Times Opt For Life campaign has called for the law to be changed to opt out.

It had the backing of health charities Kidney Research UK, the British Heart Foundation and the cystic Fibrosis Trust.

A majority of MSPs in the last parliament supported the campaign, including many who are now government ministers and the previous Public Health Minister, Maureen Watt, said the government would legislate, when it refused to back Labour MSP Anne McTaggart’s member’s bill earlier this year.

The 14 week consultation will ask whether Scotland should move to a soft opt out, or deemed authorisation, system of donation.

It means organ donation could take place when a person dies in hospital unless they have opted out through the donor register or told their family they don’t want their organs donated.

Aileen Campbell, Public Health Minister, said: “Organ and tissue donation saves lives and is one of the greatest gifts a person can give.

“With the amazing help of donors and their families, the NHS in Scotland has achieved a huge amount in recent years.”

Since April there has been 85 deceased donors, an increase from 60 the year before.

But she said there was more that could be done to increase donations even further.

She added: “In particular, we have agreed to consider the introduction of a soft opt out system of donation if this can be developed in a way which will do no harm to trust in the NHS, or to the safety of transplantation.”

Wales introduced opt out resulting in an increase in donor of one third

Figures show the number of life-saving donor organs has risen from 120 on December 1 2013 to 160 in December 1 2016, after a system of deemed consent was introduced.

The figure includes 39 organs which came under the deemed consent from the opt out law.

Ms Campbell said the Scottish government would be closely monitoring the situation in Wales.

MSPs voted against the Transplantation Bill in February this year.

However the then Public Health Minister said it had raised the debate and the government would begin a consultation on opt out within months.

Mark Griffin, Labour MSP is proposing a fresh Members Bill to introduce Opt Out.

He said: “I welcome the government consultation on a range of options to increase organ donation rates.

“I believe however that a system of presumed consent has been consulted on widely, with extensive evidence heard in parliament, that the system operating in Wales is already saving lives. I will be lodging my proposal for a member’s bill in the coming weeks.”

The consultation which runs until March 14 2017 can be found at https://consult.scotland.gov.uk/health-protection/organ-and-tissue-donation-and-transplantation