The number of people donating organs after their death reached a record 285 last year, according to new figures from the Dutch transplant foundation NTS.

In total, doctors carried out 1,402 organ transplants from both dead and living donors. That is up 162 on 2021, the NTS said.

By the end of last year, 1,247 people were on the waiting list for a donation, down 50 on 2021. But the waiting time for a kidney transplant has increased because of a large number of new patients, the NTS said.

In 2020, Dutch legislation on organ donation was changed so that everyone is automatically considered to be a donor, unless they expressly state that they do not want to be.

The aim was to increase the number of organs available for transplant, but the NTS said it is still too early to conclude if this is the case.

The legislation will be evaluated by the health ministry at the end of the year.