DOCTORS leaders will meet major charities and politicians to drive forward a campaign for an opt-out transplant system.

Tomorrow the British Medical Association has arranged talks with charities including the British Heart Foundation and the Kidney Federation at the Scottish Parliament.

The Evening Times, which has led the award-winning Opt for Life campaign for the change, has been asked to attend the meeting, as well as Glasgow Labour MSP Anne McTaggart.

The MSP is preparing to launch a members bill calling on the Scottish Government to switch to a soft opt-out system, following the lead of Wales.

This means the default position is that everyone is a donor, but for the first time the public would be able to opt-out of the system. Family members would also be consulted.

The Scottish Government has said it is waiting for an evaluation of the Welsh system, which is due to come into force on December 1 2015.

However, the Evening Times' campaign was given a major boost after the Petitions Committee called for full debate to be held in parliament on the back of our petition.

Earlier this month, new figures showed that the number of people who donated their organs after death has risen 96% in the last six years.

A total of 106 donors and their families made the decision to donate organs across Scotland last year, increasing from 54 in 2007.

However there are around 600 people on the waiting list and the Scottish Government has said more must be done.

Glasgow MSP Anne McTaggart said: "The progress made through increasing the number of people registered as organ donors is commendable, but would be eclipsed by the advancements made through introducing an opt-out system.

"This will dramatically increase the number of organs available to the terminally ill, whilst allowing those who do not wish to donate the opportunity to remove their name from the register."

New figures show Spain, which operates an opt-out system, is continuing to lead the way in organ transplantation, with the highest rate in the world.

In 2013, a total of 1655 people in Spain donated their organs, with an average of 35.1 donors per million people, well above that of the European Union's 19.2, the United States' 25.8, and four times that of the Latin America's 8.2.

Dr Rafael Matesanz of the National Transplant Organization said the average number of donors in Spain was between 5 and 6 donors per day, but "there are peaks of 14, 15 or 16 donors and the activity can vary."

caroline.wilson@eveningtimes.co.uk