ALLOWING organ donations from dead adults to be used in transplants without express permission of the patient would have a "huge impact" on saving lives in Scotland, the SNP's health spokesperson at Westminster claims.

Former surgeon Dr Philippa Whitford said she had witnessed at first hand the death of patients because of a chronic shortage of organ donations.

Whitford is the most senior SNP figure to back a change in the law that would see all people become donors on their death unless they join an official register to opt out.

The Scottish Government is consulting on introducing an opt-out systems that would see Scotland fall into line with nations such as Wales and France.

Speaking to the Sunday Herald, Whitford, in a passionate plea for reform, talked about the “miserable existence” of patients waiting for a transplant.

She said she had “no problem” with a presumed consent law, which she claimed would still see the families of deceased patients involved closely and asked for their views.

However, under the proposed changes unless the patient has opted out, any conversations with medics would start from a position of presuming that the deceased did not object to being a donor.

Whitford said that currently many requests are refused as family members are not sure of the wishes of their loved ones.

Her intervention will add to pressure on the Scottish Government to fully back opt-out when the consultation ends next month.

Ministers failed to back a change in the law in the last parliament from the then Glasgow Labour MSP, Anne McTaggart, although senior SNP backbenchers such as Kenny Gibson and Stewart Stevenson supported it.

Last night, public health minister Aileen Campbell said the government's consultation had a "presumption in favour" of an opt-out system, but failed to commit to change.

Whitford, a consultant breast surgeon at Crosshouse Hospital for more than 18 years, insisted a system of deemed consent would save lives. She has carried an organ donor card for 40 years and pointed out that organs donated from any one individual can allow for as many as five or six transplants.

She said: "It would have a huge impact. It can save lives and transform lives.

"It's very painful for the families at the moment. I'd want to make this (organ donation) a normality.

"I have no problem with that."

She added: "There are far too few organs and if we started from a presumed consent it makes it much easier for the relatives of patients and any conversations with them. It will mean there is less chance of a misunderstanding of someone's wishes and it all becomes easier for the families and the NHS as people would have to formally opt out.

"What we might have in Scotland might be a slight variation on Wales, but I recognise it's sensible."

Some critics of the plan have said it removes the principle of consent.

But Whitford claimed it would “normalise” the idea of organ donation, while people who expressed objections during their lifetime would have their wishes respected.

The Central Ayrshire MP said changing organ donation laws would also alleviate the suffering of patients forced to rely on dialysis.

She said: "Many people are on the waiting list for heart and lung transplants, but we don't have enough equivalents. The numbers of people on dialysis is pretty significant across Scotland and it's a pretty miserable existence for people."

However, last week three SNP MSPs, Clare Haughey, Richard Lyle and Maree Todd, voted against a separate attempt to fast track a change to organ donation laws in Scotland if the Government fails to act.

A further two SNP MSPs Tom Arthur and Ivan McKee abstained in the vote at Holyrood's health committee over whether Labour MSP Mark Griffin can take forward a bill for an opt-out transplant system without carrying out a consultation.

But despite SNP opposition, a majority on the committee voted to allow Griffin to take forward his own bill without consultation if ministers decide against the change.

Central Scotland MSP Griffin has said he will abandon his private members bill if the government agrees to pass its own law.

Speaking last night about Whitford's intervention, Griffin said: "It's clear there are more and more voices supporting what would be lifesaving legislation."

Scotland's public health minister Aileen Campbell, in response to Whitford, said: “Our consultation has a presumption in favour of a soft opt-out system, but any changes to the current system must ensure there is no harm to the public perception of organ donation, trust in the NHS or the safety of transplantation."