Letter

Abortion advocacy

Dear healthmatters — I was upset to read about the experience of ‘Shenaz’ when she sought an abortion (25 years on: one woman’s story, issue 12). She was badly treated within both the NHS and the private sector. Unfortunately, we have heard many stories like this.

Because doctors, not women, are allowed to make the abortion decision, this gives them power over women’s lives, which some abuse. Some are also racist. If women were allowed to have abortions on request, and there were stand-alone facilities within the NHS, then a service which put women and their needs at the centre could be provided. They would be staffed by people who were not opposed to abortion, were not judgemental and who had been properly trained.

Although most women prefer the treatment they get in the private sector, it seems Shenaz was badly served. She should have had proper counselling when she had her consultation. The assumption is that women who attend abortion agencies have already made up their minds, but this does not mean that they don’t need the opportunity to talk through their feelings and ask questions.

Compared to other private medicine, abortion is inexpensive, but a first-rate service is more about attitudes than money. Because of the lack of facilities in the NHS, the private sector provides a much-needed service, but it is probably not good for nurses and other health workers to be doing nothing but terminations all the time. A properly integrated NHS service would allow nurses and doctors to spend time doing other work too.

The National Abortion Campaign would like to set up an abortion help-line, which would include an advocacy service to take up cases like this and to oversee standards in the NHS and private/charity sector. Unfortunately, finding the finance is a problem. Considering that abortion is one of the most frequent operations done in Britain, this sort of help is clearly needed.

What is important is that we recognise that what is needed is a better service, not a return to the days when abortion was illegal and dangerous.