PEOPLE would have to opt-out of being an organ donor, under new plans announced today.

A consultation on the proposals has been launched by health secretary Jeremy Hunt.

And a Swindon heart transplant patient has backed the plans, saying: “If you’re not prepared to give a heart, you shouldn’t have a heart.”

Currently, people can opt-in to being an organ donor – although family members can block doctors from taking their loved-one’s organs after they pass away.

The new consultation, which runs until March 6, follows an announcement by the prime minister in October that the government would change the organ donor system.

Announcing the proposals, health secretary Jeremy Hunt said: "Every day three people die for want of a transplant, which is why our historic plans to transform the way organ donation works are so important.

"We want as many people as possible to have their say as we shape the new opt-out process.

"But as well as changing the law, we also need to change the conversation - it can be a difficult subject to broach, but overcoming this fatal reluctance to talk openly about our wishes is key to saving many more lives in the future."

In Swindon 78,660 people are currently signed up to the NHS Organ Donor Register. There are 21 people in the town waiting for an organ transplant.

Last year, six organ donors on the Swindon list passed away – with 14 donor transplants.

The proposals to make the organ donor system “opt-out” has split opinion.

Hugh Whittall, director of the Nuffield Council on Bioethics, hit out at the plans – saying there was no evidence that opt-out schemes worked.

He said: “The government should not be making this change until there is evidence that it works, and until we are confident that it won’t undermine people’s trust in the system in the long-term. That evidence is simply not there yet.”

But Haydon Wick man Ron Carter, who received a new heart a decade ago, said the government should “definitely” go ahead with the plans.

Ron, 69, said: “I know from my own time at Papworth Hospital [a specialist heart and lung hospital in Cambridgeshire] a number of people whose child, husband or wife has died and when they’re asked about donating the organs they say no. Then they think about it overnight and come in to say ‘What good is it going to be’, but Papworth have to say it’s too late.”

The grandfather-of-three, who has competed in the Transplant Games, said that he was on the organ register himself – although his medication has left him unable to donate his heart.

“If you’re not prepared to give a heart, you shouldn’t have a heart,” he said.

Jason Ferris of patient group Swindon Healthwatch said: “If changes were made to the existing organ donation rules and people are given the option to opt-out, we would encourage all relevant services and commissioners to review and ensure that individual communication needs are met around this in line with the accessible information standard.

“Communication needs would also need to be considered for people who are more vulnerable, have learning difficulties and those who are part of seldom heard community groups.”

The consultation will close on March 6.

To respond, visit: engage.dh.gov.uk/organdonation.