PATIENTS waiting for organ transplants will travel to the Scottish Parliament tomorrow to urge the government to change Scotland's transplant laws.

The SNP government has until 4pm tomorrow to indicate if it will legislate for an opt-out system of organ donation to help increase the number of organs for transplant.

It it does not act, Glasgow MSP Anne McTaggart will take forward her Organ and Tissue Donation (Scotland) Act, which has received cross-party support.

The bill seeks to introduce an opt-out system, which would mean that unless an adult had expressed an objection and 'opted-out' of the organ donation register, then their organ and tissue could be removed posthumously.

The Evening Times has led a three-year campaign calling for the change.

New research carried out by the British Heart Foundation Scotland has indicated that around 80% of the public would be in favour.

Patients who have received transplants and those who are still waiting will attend an event at the parliament tomorrow, hosted by Ms McTaggart.

Charity advocates of the opt-out system including British Heart Foundation and the Kidney Federation will also attend.

Ms McTaggart said: "This event is being held to stimulate public support for the Bill and will give an insight into the lives of those who have waited on a transplant and the effect this has had on their loved ones - and of course the transformation that an organ transplant brings.

"The current system of organ donation has been the subject of much debate for a number of years, due in no small part to the fact that the UK has one of the lowest organ donation rates in Europe.

"The truth is that people just don't get round to putting their names on the organ donation register, and this results in the deaths of three people every day across the UK. I've met too many heartbroken families to let this needless loss of life continue."

The British Heart Foundation has estimated it could be at least 2027 before Scotland achieves the same increase in donor registration rates that could be expected under an opt-out transplant system, where everyone is automatically considered a donor.

While Scotland boasts the highest UK rates (41%) more than half of Scots are not signed up despite evidence that up to 90% are in favour.

The Scottish Government has achieved a 1% annual increase in donor registration numbers since 2010 - resulting in 842 more transplants from deceased donors or 267 each year.

Around 595 patients are currently waiting for a transplant.

On December 1, the Welsh government will switch to an opt-out system. The Northern Ireland assembly are also consulting on a possible shift.

The BMA, which has long campaigned for an opt-out system, said it should form an "integral" part of an overall package of improvements.

More than 50% of individuals and four organisations, who responded to Anne McTaggart's consultation, described the change as "essential".

Among the MSPs supporting the bill are Conservative MSP Jackson Carlaw, Alison Johnstone of the Green Party, SNP MSP Kenneth Gibson and Liam McArthur and Jim Hume of the Liberal Democrats.