Further Liberalisation Of Abortion?

ACT NOW: Don't let abortion be further liberalised through the back door

Dr Peter Saunders speaks to the Telegraph about the proposals (2m 4s) >

The Department of Health has launched a public consultation seeking views on its proposals to introduce wide-ranging changes that will fundamentally liberalise the way in which the 1967 Abortion Act is interpreted and implemented by independent sector abortion providers.

It has updated the range of procedures (known as the “Required Standard Operating Procedures” (RSOPs)) that private abortion providers, such as the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS), must follow in order to be authorised to perform pregnancy terminations by the Secretary of State.
The proposed RSOPs will allow doctors to authorise abortions without examining, in person, women who are seeking an abortion.  They will also permit non-doctors (such as nurses) to perform terminations by administering abortion-inducing drugs provided that a doctor ‘decides upon, initiates and takes responsibility throughout the process”.
As such, the proposals significantly undermine the protections built into the 1967 Abortion Act, which specifically states that an abortion is illegal unless two doctors agree ‘in good faith’ that one of the grounds for an abortion under the Act have been met.  Christian Concern.