The National Assembly for Wales’s Health and Social Care Committee has begun a public consultation on the Human Transplantation (Wales) Bill.
The Bill, put forward by the Welsh Government, would change the system of organ donation in Wales from the current one where people opt-in to donating their organs to one that would require people to opt-out if they didn’t want to donate.
The committee will consider whether or not a new law is necessary to achieve the Welsh Government’s objectives and, if so, whether or not the Bill can achieve those objectives.
“This is an emotive issue and one which affects every person in Wales,” said Mark Drakeford AM, Chair of the Health and Social Care Committee.
“The Welsh Government has already undertaken a significant consultation on this Bill before proposing it.
“This is an opportunity to look at it again with fresh eyes and is one of the last times people will be able to contribute to it before the Assembly decides whether or not it should become law.
“I would urge anyone with an interest in human organ donation and transplantation to contribute to this consultation.”
Anyone wishing to contribute can do so either by emailing HSCCommittee@wales.gov.uk or writing to: Clerk to the Health and Social Care Committee, National Assembly for Wales, Cardiff Bay, Cardiff, CF991 NA.
The closing date for submissions is Friday January 18.
Mr Drakeford strongly invites and encourages everyone (2 million adults?)in Wales to respond to the Consultation by the Assembly Health Committee, but then tells us that the letters must arrive by January 18th, a period including Christmas, New Year, and long holidays for almost everyone including the Assembly members and Assembly staff. Is he serious ?
I will take him at his word- Dear Mr Drakeford, please apply to the Assembly Business Committee for an extension of the deadline for letters up to the end of March .Then we might be able to contact at least a small fraction of Welsh people to tell them about your vitally important Consultation. If not, your Consultation cannot be more than a pretence. I hope everyone will email to HSCComittee@Wales.gov.uk or write to you at the Welsh Assembly to urge you to do that too.