There have been more heart transplants in Scotland in the last year (2019-20) than in the previous year (2018-19) and, according to the Herald, ‘experts are trying to find out why.‘

There is, of course, no evidence offered for the claim in the headline and evidence for other explanations is missed.

More Scots donate in the first place

By December 2018, 51.7% of Scots were signed up to the Organ Donor Register but only 38% of those in England were.

There has been a big increase in donors in Scotland

Since 2008 in Scotland there has been an 81% increase in the number of people who donated organs after their death (54 to 98 in 2018/19)and a 58% increase in the number of lifesaving transplant operations from deceased donors (211 to 333 in 2018/19).

It has become safer to do transplants

A World Health Organization safety checklist to encourage teamwork and communication during operations has been associated with a 37% reduction in the death rate after operations, with a notably dramatic fall since 2007/8. Dr Atul Gawande, who introduced the checklist and co-authored the above study, published in the British Journal of Surgery, said: ‘Scotland’s health system is to be congratulated for a multi-year effort that has produced some of the largest population-wide reductions in surgical deaths ever documented.’

Sources:

https://news.gov.scot/news/organ-donor-registrations-hit-new-high

https://www.organdonation.nhs.uk/supporting-my-decision/statistics-about-organ-donation/

https://www.gov.scot/news/autumn-2020-for-organ-donation-opt-out-system/#:~:text=an%2081%25%20increase%20in%20the,to%20581%20in%202018%2F19)