The challenge
Too few people registered as organ donors, and families often refused at the bedside.
The case
In December 2015 Wales became the first UK nation to switch to 'deemed consent' for organ donation: adults who hadn't registered a decision were treated as willing donors, though families were still consulted. The change came with a large publicity campaign and training for specialist nurses. The Welsh Government's evaluation found that the share of families agreeing to donation rose from a low point of 44.4% in 2014 to 64.5% in the 12 months to mid-2017. But routine data showed no consistent change in deceased donors: there were 101 in the 21 months before the law and 104 in the 21 months after. England and Scotland later adopted similar laws.
Why the results were mixed
Changing the default raised consent, but donor numbers depend on what happens at the bedside, including family conversations and the capacity of intensive care units and specialist nurses.
Sources
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