by GRAHAM SHIELDS, Editor

THE Evening Times is proud to be a champion for the people of Glasgow.

On our pages we report on issues from around the city that make a difference to your daily lives.

By telling your stories we put pressure on those in positions of power, and sometimes they change their minds as a result.

The victories in these cases can seem small, maybe a road is resurfaced or an eyesore site is cleaned up.

However, they always result in a real improvement in the quality of life for some of our readers.

The Opt for Life campaign has been different.

In its scope and scale, it has been a huge undertaking and it promised to improve the lives of thousands of people across the whole of Scotland.

Now the next steps in the process have been initiated, and we promise to report faithfully as the legislation proceeds.

Opt for Life: New measures are pledged

by CAROLINE WILSON

SCOTLAND’S Public Health Minister said the new opt-out transplant system would be introduced as part of a package of measures to increase organ donation rates.

Aileen Campbell said it was hoped the change would lead to a “long-term culture change” in attitudes to organ donation.

The Scottish Government received more than 800 responses to its consultation including a petition signed by 18,500 people in favour of the changes and 82% were in favour.

Ms Campbell said: “This will build on the significant improvements already made as a result of the donation and transplantation plan for Scotland.”

“We should not forget that organ donation is a gift, which can only occur as a result of tragic circumstances and every donor and their family has made a selfless decision.

“We need to continue doing what we can in order to help reduce the numbers of people in Scotland waiting for transplants.

“Moving to an opt-out system of organ and tissue donation will be part of the long-term culture change in attitudes to encourage people to support donation.”