20 April 2007
The NHS might have to ask nurses to perform abortions after a decline in the number of doctors willing to do so.
The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists said this week that it was concerned about the future of the abortion service. There was a 'slow but growing' trend of trainee doctors opting out of training in this, often because they were more interested in learning about other areas of practice.
While the college backed the right of doctors to refuse to perform the procedure, it added that abortion was an essential part of women's health care services. Adequate investment and a trained, sympathetic workforce were essential.
Family planning charity Marie Stopes International said it had difficulty recruiting doctors to perform terminations. Trainee doctors did not see the service as important as they were not aware of the situation before legal abortion was introduced in 1967.
A spokeswoman added that the NHS might have to rethink its workforce strategy. 'It would be ideal to train experienced nurses to perform abortions.'
Julia Millington of the ProLife Alliance said : 'Those choosing to go into medicine presumably do so because they want to cure sickness and disease, not end the lives of innocent human beings.'
But Ann Furedi, chief executive of BPAS, formerly the British Pregnancy Advisory Service, said: 'Abortion is an absolutely essential, life-saving part of medical care – it might not be the most glamorous medical speciality but it is seen as heroic work by the women that it helps.'
PFapr2007
