Date Announced for Max and Keira’s Law to Come Into Effect

• 62% of over 16s in England aware that the law is changing, January 2020 survey shows

• 4 in 10 people across England have recorded their organ donation decision

• Currently, over 6,000 people in the UK are on the transplant waiting list, while last year over 400 people died waiting

The Government has announced that, subject to parliamentary approval, Max and Keira’s Law – the Organ Donation (Deemed Consent) Act – will come into effect on the 20th May 2020.

From the time the law changes, all adults in England will be considered as having agreed to donate their own organs when they die unless they record a decision not to donate, what’s known as ‘opt out’, or are in one of the excluded groups.

Those excluded will be people under 18, those who lack the mental capacity to understand the new arrangements and take the necessary action; and people who have lived in England for less than 12 months or who are not living here voluntarily.

Even after the law changes, families will still be involved before any organ or tissue donation goes ahead and NHS Blood and Transplant Specialist Nurses will continue to speak with families about their loved one’s decision.

The latest NHS Blood and Transplant awareness survey, carried out in January 2020, showed that 62% of the population aged 16 years or over in England are aware that the law around organ donation will be changing. This has risen from the baseline of 46% recorded prior to the launch of the law change awareness campaign, ‘Pass it on’, which officially launched in April 2019.

It has also been stated that only organs and tissue used for routine transplants, will be included under the new system.

NHS Blood and Transplant’s awareness and education campaign, ‘Pass it on’ will continue to use PR, press, social media, radio, TV, outdoor and cinema advertising to help raise awareness of the law change.

Wales already has an opt out system, after changing their law in December 2015. Jersey introduced the opt out system in July 2019 and Scotland will also be moving to an opt out system from Autumn 2020.

To find out more, or to register your decision to opt in or opt out, visit: www.organdonation.nhs.uk or call 0300 303 2094.