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Your islandYou are in: Jersey > People > Your island > Opt in or out? ![]() Gulab with her grandson. Opt in or out?Should we have to opt in or out of being an organ donor? Have your say… The UK has one of the lowest organ donation rates in Europe, and currently in the UK and Jersey you have to sign up to give consent four your organs to be donated. But with many people dying every year waiting for organs to become available, there have been calls for an opt-out scheme. Over the past year a panel in the UK has been looking at presuming consent from everyone unless they opt out, but they've rejected the plans. That doesn’t mean Jersey has to, or even will go the same way. Jersey may follow policies in some European countries to remove healthy organs from patients who've died unless they've signed a form saying they don't want to donate them. ![]() At the moment, Jersey uses the card carrying system where they're only taken if the patient has given consent on an organ donor card. Jersey's Health Minister, Senator Ben Shenton, says the island may go ahead with an opt out scheme similar to the one used in Europe. He told the Breakfast Programme it would be taken up if it saves lives. The Minister said: "We need to have a discussion with the department, I need to get the full feeling of the department. I have only spoken with one consultant so far, I need to speak to others to fill me in. "It is not a closed book as far as I'm concerned, we will look at it, as I say it is not something a lot of people give thought to but if we can save lives and improve the quality of lives for people we will do it." There is a a group that represents patients with kidney problems in Jersey who believe the current arrangements for finding donors isn’t working. The Jersey Kidney Patients Association says there are only around 3000 registered organs donors in Jersey, which isn't enough. It's thought around a 1000 people die every year in Britain because there aren't enough donors. Have your sayShould Jersey move to an opt-out system or do you think things should stay as they are? Would you donate your organs or would you opt out if the system were to be changed? Are you already an organ donor – have you told your next of kin? last updated: 18/11/2008 at 12:59 Have Your Say
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