News

Improving access to abortion

The Abortion Law Reform Association (ALRA) has issued a guide, Improving Access to Abortion, with the aim of building on the government’s specification of standards of care for induced abortions, issued in March.

Access to abortion has improved significantly in recent years, but there is still considerable room for improvement in many districts of England and Wales, ALRA says. Improving Access to Abortion offers a model service specification and suggests how HAs might establish working groups representing those with an interest in improving services.

The guide also contains a survey of abortion provision and restrictive practices in 129 health authorities and boards in England Scotland and Wales, and examples of good practice.

ALRA is campaigning for five changes to the 1967 Abortion Act:

• to allow abortion on request in the first three months of pregnancy;
• to allow one doctor to approve an abortion from 15-24 weeks;
• to ensure doctors who hold a conscientious objection to abortion declare it;
• to extend legal abortion to Northern Ireland;
• to ensure women have access to NHS abortion services.

ALRA: 020 76377264, alra@mailbox.co.uk.

Website: www.alra.mailbox.co.uk