EXTRA Intensive Care beds transplant surgeons and specialist nurses will be needed if a move to opt out for organ donation is to be successful MSPs have been told.

Experts have said if Scotland moves to a soft opt out system of presumed consent for donation of organs, then there needs to be an upscaling in the infrastructure to ensure more transplants can take place.

The Scottish Parliament Health Committee was told that Scotland has a lower rate of intensive care beds than the rest of the UK.

Representatives from the British Heart Foundation, Royal College of Nursing and from the NHS transplantation service said the law change alone is not enough.

Dr Stephen Cole, Consultant in Intensive Care Medicine of the Scottish Intensive Care Society said

He said: “Scotland has a lower rate of IT beds than the rest of the UK per 10,000 population and considerably lower than others in Europe.

One way we could effect change is to invest more in intensive care around the country. Organ donation would be a by-product of that

The British Medical Association supports Opt Out but also said it needs to be part of wider changes to improve donation rates.

Sue Robertson, Deputy Chair of BMA Scotland, said the Scottish government and transplant teams have done a huge amount to improve donations.

She added: “When you meet transplant surgeons you meet a bunch of tired people.

“It is very important we have the infrastructure to deliver this, Intensive care beds, specialist nurses and enough transplant surgeons so the transplants can go ahead as speedily as possible.”

David Stewart Labour MSP had asked why the rate of organ donation was twice as high in Spain than the UK.

Ms Robertson said that Spain had a strong system of IT beds and the infrastructure supports as much transplantation as it possibly can.

Lesley Logan, regional manager, organ donation of NHS Blood and Transplant , said there was big differences between Spain and the UK and we should be careful to make comparisons.

She said transplant teams approach families to ask permission for donation more often than in the UK.

She said it could be considered to be “harassing”.

Ms Logan said in Spain every major hospital has the capacity to remove organs . In the UK there are seven liver teams and 4 cardiac teams

She added: “The further south in Europe you go there are more fatal road traffic accidents.

Our roads are safe in comparison. Only 3% of or organs in UK come from RTAs.”

The Bill to introduce Opt Out is being considered at stage one by the Health Committee.