EVERY year a thousand people die because of the lack of organs available for transplant.

Thousands of others are on a waiting list at any one time, their lives effectively on hold until an organ becomes available.

The announcement yesterday that the Prime Minister Gordon Brown is backing what for many is a controversial move to make organ donation automatic, will put the issue centre stage.

Patients' groups are already arguing against any moves towards a system of presumed consent, whereby the assumption is in favour of organ donation unless people actively opt out.

We can understand why there is concern. Organ donation is of course such a sensitive issue.

But we also believe more needs to be done to ensure more organs are available.

It is the logical conclusion to years of medical advances which have seen so many transplant successes.

We should follow the likes of Spain where presumed consent is the norm and where families still have the final say.

And while this would require an Act of Parliament we are confident it would get the required support.

This must coincide though with extra resources for the NHS to ensure grieving relatives get all the support and information they need and to ensure the NHS could cope with the extra demand for transplant operations.