Social networking giant Facebook has launched a new feature to encourage people to sign up to donate their organs.

Clicking on a new ‘Health and Wellbeing’ button, formed in a partnership with NHS Blood and Transplant, users will be able to publicise that they have registered as an organ donor, or to sign up to become one.

Facebook believes its 30 million UK users will be encouraged to sign up to the Register if they see that some of their friends have already done so.

According to The Telegraph, the new ‘Health and Wellbeing’ button will be added to all Facebook users’ timelines, the history of their lives online.

It will allow people to add a ‘Life Event’ stating that they are an organ donor or intend to become one, and link through to NHS Blood and Transplant’s page where they can complete the sign-up process for the Register if they are not already on it.

The initiative is first being introduced in America and Britain, but Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg said “millions around the world” needed organ transplants, and the concept is likely to be extended if it is successful.u00a0