Press Release: New guidance advises NHS staff not to report patients to police in abortion casesPress Release:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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22 January 2024— In response to a troubling surge in arrests and failed prosecutions under outdated Victorian-era abortion laws, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG), unveils crucial guidance aimed at safeguarding women’s rights and confidentiality.

Kerry Abel, Chair of Abortion Rights, welcomed the new guidance saying: “Our society must recognise the distress, isolation and trauma that women face under archaic abortion laws. This guidance is a critical step towards protecting their dignity and autonomy.”

The guidance, commissioned by the RCOG, states that healthcare professionals should not share information with the police unless explicit consent is obtained from the woman, or if it is necessary to protect her safety or others. This follows six recent cases where women faced legal consequences for ending pregnancies under the Offences Against the Person Act 1861.

NHS staff are now advised against conducting blood tests or other samples at the request of the police unless fully informed consent is given or a court order mandates such action.

The General Medical Council, aligning with its professional standards, approves this guidance. The RCOG and the Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare advocate against investigating patients suspected of ending their pregnancies, emphasising that this is not in the public interest.

Abortion Rights calls for the decriminalisation of abortion, supporting an amendment to the Criminal Justice Bill aimed at shielding women from prosecution for making choices about their own bodies.

Abortion Rights remains committed to advocating for the right of women to make their own reproductive choices and for abortion to be removed from criminal law.

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For further information, please contact Kerry Abel, Abortion Rights, chair kerry@abortionrights.org.uk