The sensitive issue of “presumed consent” for organ donation is being debated publicly for the first time in pembrokeshire today (Wednesday).

A meeting on the issue is currently being hosted by Pembrokeshire Community Health Council (CHC) at the Nant-y-Ffin Hotel, Llandissilio.

Stressing the importance of a thorough public understanding of the issue, CHC chief officer Ashley Warlow said: “Unlike the current opt-in system, presumed consent is the exact opposite — an opt-out system whereby people voluntarily subscribe to become organ donors.

“It means it will be automatically presumed that, upon a person’s death, their organs are made available for transplant to those in need of them, unless the deceased person had formally registered beforehand a view against having their organs removed.”

Mr Warlow said the meeting is the first in west Wales of a series of eight debates on the sensitive and emotive issue.

The Welsh Assembly has requested the meetings and is seeking public opinion on presumed consent because adopting the new system would require new laws.

Anyone with opinions on the issue is asked to make their views known by letter or e-mail to Pembrokeshire CHC. Contact 01646, 697610, write to 1 Cedar Court, Haven’s Head, Milford Haven, SA73 3LS or e-mail pembrokeshire@chcwales.or.uk or www.patienthelp.wales.nhs.uk/pembrokeshire.

For more on the presumed consent debate log on later or pick up a copy of next week’s Western Telegraph.