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21/09/2005
Late abortion referrals case ruled legal
A charity that referred a woman seeking a late abortion to a clinic abroad did not break the law, an inquiry has concluded.
The Chief Medical Officer (CMO) launched an investigation into the handling of late abortion cases by the British Pregnancy Advisory Service, following newspaper allegations.
The Sunday Telegraph alleged that BPAS was illegally sending women to Spain to have abortions. The paper said that the charity had referred a woman who wished to abort a 26-week-old foetus.
The legal limit for an abortion in the UK is 24 weeks, unless the mother’s life is in danger or the baby would suffer a severe mental of physical disability. BPAS does provide women with details of other countries that will carry out abortion, if their pregnancy has progressed beyond that stage.
England’s Chief Medical Officer, Sir Liam Donaldson, concluded that BPAS had not broken the law. However, he said that “insufficient procedures” had been used by BPAS in its handling of late abortion cases.
The report criticised the charity for providing the number of a Spanish clinic “too readily” and not providing women with appropriate advice before seeking a late abortion.
The report made a number of recommendations for BPAS, including the revision of protocol for late abortion cases; arranging for all calls concerning late abortions to be passed to an experienced abortion counsellor; and establishing a system to monitor the quality of advice given by call centre staff.
BPAS has been asked to respond to the recommendations by the end of October.
The CMO also suggested a number of recommendations to all abortion service providers, following the investigation, including the development of a national best practice protocol for dealing with late abortion cases and a review of training needs.
BPAS welcomed the CMO report. Chief Executive Ann Furedi said: “We especially welcome the recommendation that a national best practice protocol for dealing with late abortion cases should be developed and be adopted by the NHS and all independent sector abortion providers The real scandal of late abortions is that many women are failed by the poor provision for late abortion that exists in many areas.”
Public Health Minister Caroline Flint said: ”The Department of Health has no reason to doubt that BPAS provides a good, safe and legal abortion service under the Abortion Act 1967 and therefore sees no reason why it should not continue to provide this service to women.”
However, Julia Millington of the ProLife Alliance said: ”On the basis of the CMOs criticisms alone, one wonders how any country would entrust women’s health to such an organisation. And yet we read Public Health Minister, Caroline Flint, stating enthusiastically in the DoH press release that she has ‘no reason to doubt that BPAS provides a good, safe and legal abortion service’. She is ignoring the reality of the situation and glossing over the CMOs comments, particularly in regard to late abortion, where it is suggested that there is need of urgent review.
“It is not enough to say that a woman can seek an abortion abroad; she cannot be referred for something which is illegal in the country to which she is referred. That is the basis of the legal complaint, and it does not appear to have been addressed.”
(KMcA/SP)
The Chief Medical Officer (CMO) launched an investigation into the handling of late abortion cases by the British Pregnancy Advisory Service, following newspaper allegations.
The Sunday Telegraph alleged that BPAS was illegally sending women to Spain to have abortions. The paper said that the charity had referred a woman who wished to abort a 26-week-old foetus.
The legal limit for an abortion in the UK is 24 weeks, unless the mother’s life is in danger or the baby would suffer a severe mental of physical disability. BPAS does provide women with details of other countries that will carry out abortion, if their pregnancy has progressed beyond that stage.
England’s Chief Medical Officer, Sir Liam Donaldson, concluded that BPAS had not broken the law. However, he said that “insufficient procedures” had been used by BPAS in its handling of late abortion cases.
The report criticised the charity for providing the number of a Spanish clinic “too readily” and not providing women with appropriate advice before seeking a late abortion.
The report made a number of recommendations for BPAS, including the revision of protocol for late abortion cases; arranging for all calls concerning late abortions to be passed to an experienced abortion counsellor; and establishing a system to monitor the quality of advice given by call centre staff.
BPAS has been asked to respond to the recommendations by the end of October.
The CMO also suggested a number of recommendations to all abortion service providers, following the investigation, including the development of a national best practice protocol for dealing with late abortion cases and a review of training needs.
BPAS welcomed the CMO report. Chief Executive Ann Furedi said: “We especially welcome the recommendation that a national best practice protocol for dealing with late abortion cases should be developed and be adopted by the NHS and all independent sector abortion providers The real scandal of late abortions is that many women are failed by the poor provision for late abortion that exists in many areas.”
Public Health Minister Caroline Flint said: ”The Department of Health has no reason to doubt that BPAS provides a good, safe and legal abortion service under the Abortion Act 1967 and therefore sees no reason why it should not continue to provide this service to women.”
However, Julia Millington of the ProLife Alliance said: ”On the basis of the CMOs criticisms alone, one wonders how any country would entrust women’s health to such an organisation. And yet we read Public Health Minister, Caroline Flint, stating enthusiastically in the DoH press release that she has ‘no reason to doubt that BPAS provides a good, safe and legal abortion service’. She is ignoring the reality of the situation and glossing over the CMOs comments, particularly in regard to late abortion, where it is suggested that there is need of urgent review.
“It is not enough to say that a woman can seek an abortion abroad; she cannot be referred for something which is illegal in the country to which she is referred. That is the basis of the legal complaint, and it does not appear to have been addressed.”
(KMcA/SP)
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The BBC have learned that thousands of attempts have been made to hack the computers of the UK’s largest provider of abortion services, BPAS. Last month, a man was jailed for stealing the details of 10,000 women who had sought advice from BPAS. In the five weeks since his arrest, 2,500 other attempts have been made to hack into BPAS's systems.
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The BBC have learned that thousands of attempts have been made to hack the computers of the UK’s largest provider of abortion services, BPAS. Last month, a man was jailed for stealing the details of 10,000 women who had sought advice from BPAS. In the five weeks since his arrest, 2,500 other attempts have been made to hack into BPAS's systems.
23 March 2012
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Spot checks at more than 250 abortion clinics has found that some doctors are breaking the law by "pre-signing" abortion consent forms.
Spot Checks Find Abortion Consent Forms Being 'Pre-Signed'
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15 September 2006
Emergency pill fails to lower abortion rate
A family planning expert says that the availability of the emergency "morning after" pill has failed to significantly reduce the abortion rate. Easy over the counter availability of emergency contraception has not had a notable effect on rates of pregnancy and abortion, according to an editorial in this week’s British Medical Journal.
Emergency pill fails to lower abortion rate
A family planning expert says that the availability of the emergency "morning after" pill has failed to significantly reduce the abortion rate. Easy over the counter availability of emergency contraception has not had a notable effect on rates of pregnancy and abortion, according to an editorial in this week’s British Medical Journal.
19 June 2008
Figures Show Abortion Increase In Teenage Girls
New figures published today have shown a rise in abortions among young girls. The Department of Health has released statistics revealing how many women had abortions in 2007. The number of abortions among girls aged under 16 rose by 10% to 4,376 in 2007. In the under 14s, abortions rose by 21% from 135 in 2006 to 163 in 2006.
Figures Show Abortion Increase In Teenage Girls
New figures published today have shown a rise in abortions among young girls. The Department of Health has released statistics revealing how many women had abortions in 2007. The number of abortions among girls aged under 16 rose by 10% to 4,376 in 2007. In the under 14s, abortions rose by 21% from 135 in 2006 to 163 in 2006.
21 May 2008
MPs Dismiss Abortion Time Limit Changes
Proposed changes to abortion law have been dismissed by MP's last night. The time limit for abortions will remain at 24 weeks despite arguments for it to be cut to 22, 20, 16 or 12 weeks. The 304 to 233 free vote was the culmination of two days of emotive and heated exchanges on the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill.
MPs Dismiss Abortion Time Limit Changes
Proposed changes to abortion law have been dismissed by MP's last night. The time limit for abortions will remain at 24 weeks despite arguments for it to be cut to 22, 20, 16 or 12 weeks. The 304 to 233 free vote was the culmination of two days of emotive and heated exchanges on the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill.
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