Organ donation rules in England are changing

Written by Aaron Dennis, March 12, 2020

Organ donation in England will move to an “opt out” system from May 2020.

This means that all adults in England will be considered to have agreed to be an organ donor when they die unless they have recorded a decision not to donate or are in one of the excluded groups.

Wales introduced this system in 2015 and Scotland is expected to adopt a similar “opt out” programme in the autumn. Northern Ireland has not changed its rules, meaning organ donations will only be made where someone has specified that this is their wish.

Anyone can register to donate their organs and tissue when they die, regardless of their age or medical conditions. To ensure that all donated organs are safe, the donor’s medical and lifestyle history is assessed at the time of donation.

Find out more about the changes here.