Category Archives: Abortion Contraception

Secretary of State for Northern Ireland instructs the Department of Health to commission abortion services

The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Chris Heaton-Harris MP, has written to the Department of Health, to formally commission abortion services in Northern Ireland.

This instruction follows the UK Government’s announcement on 24 October that it would be commissioning abortion services in Northern Ireland, where the Secretary of State is under a statutory obligation to ensure that access to safe high-quality abortion and post-abortion care are available.

Currently, early medical abortion services (EMA), and cases where there is an immediate necessity to save the woman’s life or to prevent grave permanent injury, are available in all five Health and Social Care Trusts in Northern Ireland.

The formal commissioning and availability of funding will enable Health and Social Care Trusts to recruit and train staff in the coming months to support the development of sustainable services in Northern Ireland so that a full range of high quality services are available.

While women can access early medical abortions up to nine weeks and six days gestation across all Health and Social Care Trusts and up to 11 weeks and six days gestation at the Northern Trust, those who need advice or access to these services in Northern Ireland should contact the British Pregnancy Advisory Service, BPAS, by visiting their website or calling 0333 234 2184 for further support.

Where a woman needs abortion care that is not currently available in Northern Ireland, she will continue to be able to access UK Government funded NHS services in Great Britain. Bookings can be accessed by visiting the MSI Reproductive Choices website. Women must be resident in Northern Ireland and also registered with a GP.

Further guidance of available services can be found on the NI Direct website.

Part of a longer press release at https://www.gov.uk/government/news/secretary-of-state-for-northern-ireland-instructs-the-department-of-health-to-commission-abortion-services

See also:

 

December 7, 2022

28 November 2022 ~ Parliament debate on the petitions: Include abortion rights in the Bill of Rights – London & Online

As Parliament considers the Bill of Rights, the Government must reconsider including abortion rights in this Bill. Rights to abortion must be specifically protected in this legislation, especially as the Government has refused to rule out leaving the European Convention on Human Rights.

In the wake of the United States Supreme Court over-turning ‘Roe vs. Wade’ in a landmark decision; the United Kingdom must enshrine abortion rights in the new UK Bill of Rights.

Abortion rights are healthcare rights; not just for individuals who do not wish to be pregnant, but also for those who do. For ectopic pregnancies, to finish a natural miscarriage, or if mother or foetus’ life is at high risk. There are a multitude of other reasons to seek an abortion and this should be protected as a right to choose.

Parliament will debate this petition

Government responded

  • This response was given on 20 September 2022

    The Government is now looking again at the Bill of Rights to ensure it will deliver the Government’s objectives as effectively as possible.

    The Government has decided to look again at the Bill of Rights, to ensure that it delivers the Government’s objectives as effectively as possible.

    This will inform future steps in this area, including any legislation Parliament may be invited to consider in future.

    Ministry of Justice

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/619334

 

November 17, 2022

Fewer than half of women in Northern Ireland realise abortion is lawful finds new poll for Amnesty International UK

Only 10% of women know how to access abortion services  

A new survey by AI UK has exposed just how few adults in Northern Ireland (47%) are aware that abortion is lawful, despite abortion being decriminalised there three years ago.

Shockingly, the poll revealed that only 10% of women know how to access abortion, and fewer than half (46%) would be comfortable speaking to their GP about accessing abortion. Three-fifths (60%) of adults think the government should be doing more to make abortion services available and accessible across Northern Ireland.

Abortion was decriminalised in Northern Ireland three years ago, on 21 October 2019. However, the Government is yet to establish commissioned abortion services in the region, leaving abortion provision fragile and inconsistent. People are still being forced to travel long distances to access the healthcare: in 2020-21, 161 people travelled to England to access an abortion.

Poll results

The poll, which was conducted by Opinium on behalf of Amnesty International UK, surveyed more than 1,000 adults (18+) in Northern Ireland and revealed that:

  • Fewer than half (47%) adults are aware that abortion is currently lawful in Northern Ireland. Only 46% of women are aware that abortion is currently legal.
  • Only (13%) of adults know how to access abortion services, which is even lower amongst women (10%).
  • However, 49% think they know where they could find out about these services.
  • An overwhelming majority (87%) say the public are often unaware of the circumstances that abortion is permitted and how to access it.
  • Fewer than half (46%) of women would be comfortable speaking to their GP about accessing abortion.
  • Three fifths (60%) of adults think the Government should be doing more to make abortion services available and accessible across Northern Ireland, and seven in ten (68%) think the Government should be doing more to make people aware of what new services are available following the law change.

A new open letter urges the secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Chris Heaton Harris, to set up abortion services without delay. The full text reads:

Today marks three years since abortion was decriminalised in Northern Ireland, and yet commissioned abortion services are still not set up in the region.

We urge you to establish these without further delay – we cannot continue to wait.

The continued lack of abortion provision is unacceptable and causing harm every day. Women, girls and pregnant people in need of this time sensitive and vital health-care are suffering – left without the local support our new pro-choice law promised three years ago.  

People are still being forced to travel and make distressing journeys to access abortion. In 2020-21, 161 women and girls had to board a plane to England for abortion care. These journeys should long be a thing of the past.

Without commissioning and the necessary funding and resourcing, health trusts will struggle to meet the needs of people seeking abortions. Abortion provision will remain in a fragile state with access inconsistent across the various health trust areas.

At a time when we are seeing deeply concerning rollbacks on reproductive rights in other countries like the US, we cannot forget that people in the UK are being denied their rights too. The UK government must set up abortion services in Northern Ireland and show that choice is respected and protected, not only in law but in practice.

People in need of abortion simply cannot afford to keep waiting. No more feet dragging, no more failure. This healthcare must be made immediately available to all who need it.

Yours,

* Grainne Teggart, Deputy Programme Director – Northern Ireland, Amnesty International UK
* Olivia Colman, Amnesty International UK Ambassador
* Vick Hope, Amnesty International UK Ambassador
* Deborah Frances-White, Amnesty International UK Ambassador
* Juliet Stevenson, Amnesty International UK Ambassador
* Kaiser Chiefs, Amnesty International UK Ambassadors
* Bronagh Waugh, Actor
* Dr Edward Morris, President, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists
* Karen Murray, Director, Northern Ireland, Royal College of Midwives
* Rita Devlin, Director, Northern Ireland, Royal College of Nurses
* Clare Murphy, Chief Executive, BPAS
* Dr Jonathan Lord, Medical Director, MSI Reproductive Choices UK
* Aaron Flaherty, Chief Executive, NUPAS
* Dr Eveane Cubitt, Northern Ireland Chair, Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Health
* Dr Ralph Roberts, Chair, Northern Ireland Abortion and Contraception Taskforce
* Ruairi Rowan, Director of Advocacy and Policy, Informing Choices NI
* Bethany Moore, Alliance for Choice Derry
* Emma Campbell and Naomi O’Connor, Co-Chairs, Alliance for Choice

Part of a longer press release at https://www.amnesty.org.uk/press-releases/northern-ireland-fewer-half-women-realise-abortion-lawful-new-poll

 

October 23, 2022

12 November 2022 14:00 ~ Where Next for Abortion Services – Abortion Rights Scotland – Edinburgh

  • Location: Edinburgh City Chambers, 253 High Street, Edinburgh EH1 1YJ
  • Finishes: 16:30
  • Cost: Free – but please register(*)

Councillor Lezley Cameron, along with other councillors and with NHS clinicians. will discuss why this is an important issue for us all.

And following on from the Roe V Wade decision in the United States,are our services the best they can be, and is the law in Scotland fit for purpose?

Coffee and tea from 1pm, with speakers and discussion from 2pm -4.30pm, with a short mid afternoon break.

Childcare can be arranged if requested.

(*) Register at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/abortion-rights-scotland-event-tickets-442985560737

 

October 21, 2022

12 November 2022 14:00 ~ Where Next for Abortion Services – Abortion Rights Scotland – Edinburgh

  • Location: Edinburgh City Chambers, 253 High Street, Edinburgh EH1 1YJ
  • Finishes: 16:30
  • Cost: Free – but please register(*)

Councillor Lezley Cameron, along with other councillors and with NHS clinicians. will discuss why this is an important issue for us all.

And following on from the Roe V Wade decision in the United States,are our services the best they can be, and is the law in Scotland fit for purpose?

Coffee and tea from 1pm, with speakers and discussion from 2pm -4.30pm, with a short mid afternoon break.

Childcare can be arranged if requested.

(*) Register at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/abortion-rights-scotland-event-tickets-442985560737

 

October 21, 2022