POLITICIANS have been urged to back a new organ donor system in Scotland which has resulted in Wales having the highest consent rate in the UK.

MSPs will decide today whether to back the SNP government’s Human Tissue (Authorisation) (Scotland) Bill, which would introduce an opt-out transplant system, meaning everyone would automatically be considered to be an organ donor unless individuals have registered an objection.

The Evening Times led a six-year campaign calling for the landmark change, which was introduced in Wales in December 2015.

Data released in November last year showed for the first time, a significant increase in the donation after brain stem death (DBD) consent rates in Wales (88.2%) when compared to England (73.3%). Family consent rates have risen from 49% to 70%.

Organ donation consent rates in Wales are now the highest in the UK.

More than 500 people are currently waiting for the operation that could save their lives.

British Heart Foundation (BHF) Scotland has long supported this proposal and is encouraging cross-party backing for the change.

Scotland has the highest proportion of people on the organ donor register but has the lowest rate of family consent, and also the lowest rate of organ donation.

Death rates from heart diseases have fallen significantly over the decades, but this also means that more people than ever before are living with damaged hearts.

The number of people on the waiting list for a new heart in the UK has risen by 205 per cent since 2009.

.James Cant, BHF Scotland Director, said: “Death rates from heart and circulatory diseases have fallen dramatically over the years. But that means more of us are living longer with conditions like heart failure.

“The number of people who need a heart transplant is increasing – so we wanted to show the real people behind the statistics and we’re very grateful to Suzanne and Ross for sharing their experiences. We hope their inspiring stories will motivate more people to have that important conversation about organ donation with their loved ones, and encourage MSPs of all parties to back the bill to help save more lives on 25 February.

“Too many people are waiting by the phone for a life-changing, life-saving call. Let’s not make them wait any longer.”