About one third of Irish psychiatrists who treat adults have signed a statement rejecting a draft government proposal that psychiatrists should assess women seeking who are threatening suicide. One of a group of psychiatrists involved in discussion with the Irish government told the Irish Independent that “there is no evidence that abortion is a treatment for suicidality in pregnancy and may in fact be harmful to women.” 113 of about 300 practitioners have signed a statement to that effect. [Irish Independent]
Category: Abortion
Should medical staff be able to opt out on grounds of conscience?
Scotland Tonight looked at the issue of conscientious objection by health care workers following the successful appeal of midwives against an order to delegate, supervise, or support staff involved in providing abortions.
Discussion participants were Paul Tully of the pro-life group, Society for the Protection of Unborn Children, health journalist Pennie Taylor and employment lawyer Donald MacKinnon.
Appeal succeeds in Scotland: freedom of conscience upheld for midwives
A panel of judges of the Court of Session in Edinburgh, Scotland, has ruled in favour of two midwives appealing a 2012 decision by a judge of the same court. Lady Dorrian, Lord Mackay of Drumadoon and Lord McEwan have ruled that the midwifery sisters, Mary Doogan, and Concepta Wood, cannot be compelled to supervise the provison of abortion by the National Health Services of Greater Glasgow and Clyde.
The two women were labour ward co-ordinators at the Southern General Hospital in Glasgow and had long identified themselves as having conscientious objection to abortion. However, in 2007, when the labour ward was made responsible for abortions, they were ordered to supervise, support and delegate staff providing the procedure. They challenged the order as a breach of the European Convention on Human Rights on the grounds that it made them morally complicit in abortion by requiring their participation in the process of providing it.
The appelate judges said, “In our view the right of conscientious objection extends not only to the actual medical or surgical termination but to the whole process of treatment given for that purpose.” [Text of the ruling]
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde is considering an appeal of the decision. [Herald Scotland] [The Telegraph]
- Court hears appeal of midwives ordered to participate in abortion services
- Midwives to appeal court ruling against freedom of conscience
- Scottish judge rules objecting midwives can be forced to facilitate abortions
- Statement by Glasgow midwives after abortion judgment
- Midwives in Scotland go to court over forced facilitation of abortion
Developments in Ireland
The Irish government has promised to introduce legislation and regulations concerning abortion in July. [Irish Independent] Meanwhile, the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) has rejected motions seeking the group’s approval of regulations for circumstances in which there is a “real and substantial risk to the mother,” abortion in the case of rape or incest, and abortion when a foetus is diagnosed to have a fatal abnormality. The vote at the IMO annual conference reflects sharply different views from the results of some Irish public opinion polls, and contrasts with a 2011 poll that found 75% of 300 Irish general practitioners surveyed supported some form of legalization of abortion.[Irish Independent]
Related:
- Ireland announces abortion law reforms, leaving no one satisfied
- Abortion controversy in Ireland
- Irish panel of appointees recommends compulsory referral for abortion
- Message to Irish lawmakers: “Exceptions don’t work”
- Controversy in Ireland over death of woman after abortion refused
- Submission to the All-Party Oireachtais Committee on the Constitution
- Conscientious Objection in Ireland
Australian Medical Association Submission to the Tasmanian Government
On the law governing termination of pregnancy
Introduction
The Tasmanian branch of the Australian Medical Association expressed qualified support for statutory legalization of abortion in a submission to the Tasmanian state government concerning its proposed Reproductive Health (Access to Terminations) Bill 2013. However, the Association also emphasized its opposition to parts of the proposed bill that would suppress freedom of conscience among physicians. Those parts of the submission are reproduced below. [Read more . . .]