LESS than half of people over the age of 16-years-old are aware the law around organ donation was changing. a new survey has revealed.

NHS Blood and Transplant launches the year-long national campaign, "Pass it on", to increase awareness and understanding of the organ donation law change, which comes into place next year across England.

From spring 2020, all adults in England will be considered as having agreed to donate their own organs when they die unless they record a decision not to donate or are in one of the excluded groups.

Those excluded will be people under 18-years-old, people who lack the capacity to understand the change and people who have lived in England for less than 12 months before their death or who are not living here voluntarily.

A survey carried out by NHS Blood and Transplant in January 2019, found only 37 per cent of people over 16-years-old were aware that the law around organ donation was changing.

The campaign aims to clearly communicate that the law is changing and the choices available, as well as encouraging people to make a decision and share this with their family.

Anthony Clarkson, director of Organ Donation and Transplantation for NHS Blood and Transplant, said: “Organ donation is, and always will be, a precious gift.

"Although the law is changing it will still be the generosity of individual donors and their families who decide at the most difficult time to support organ donation, which will ensure more transplants can happen and more lives can be saved.

“We want everyone to know the law around organ donation is changing, to understand how it is changing and the choices available to them. We want them to make their organ donation decision and to share that decision with their family."

Charles Michael Duke, from Lymington, had a lung transplant last summer.

The musical theatre actor has cystic fibrosis and his condition deteriorated from the age of 18.

The 24-year-old said: “After over three years of waiting I finally received my new lungs.

“I’ve been campaigning for an opt out system for a few years now, and am so happy to see it finally become a reality.

“Waiting for a transplant is not something people should have to do, and they definitely shouldn’t have to wait as long as they currently do.

“I was lucky enough to receive my transplant, but one in three people with Cystic Fibrosis waiting for lungs don’t. And I really hope and think that this new system will help reduce that.

“It is still imperative though that people tell their loved ones of their wishes, so that there is no doubt when the question is asked.”