CONGLETON MP CALLS FOR GOVERNMENT TO PREVENT DISCRIMINATION
AGAINST PRO-LIFE DOCTORS
A group of MPs led by Congleton MP Fiona Bruce have called
on Government and NHS governing bodies to ensure that the legal right of
healthcare professionals to conscientious objection to taking part in abortions
is properly protected. The All-Party Parliamentary Pro-Life Group, chaired by Congleton
MP Fiona Bruce, found that there is increasing pressure on healthcare
professionals with a conscientious objection to abortion to participate in the
abortion process.
While the Inquiry, which received evidence from 150
different witnesses, including many healthcare professionals, healthcare bodies
and abortion providers, heard accounts from nurses, midwives and doctors who
had been pressured and discriminated against despite their right to
conscientious objection, often seeing their career or training options limited.
The British Medical Association confirmed that ‘some doctors have complained of being harassed and discriminated
against because of their conscientious objection to abortion.’
The Report makes clear that, whilst there is legal
protection for healthcare professionals who have a conscientious objection to
participating in abortion, this is not being observed in practice.
It also recommends that the Government conduct a review
into the training of medical students, and calls for the principle of
‘Reasonable Accommodation’ to be introduced into legislation in this country. The
report calls specifically on the Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynaecologists
to publish a statement clarifying its position on this issue.
Fiona
Bruce MP, who has been Member of Parliament from the Congleton constituency
since 2010, said “Freedom
of conscience is a key part of living in a diverse and democratic society. It
is vital that conscientious health professionals who do not wish to participate
in abortion can be confident in their right to opt-out of doing so without fear
of censure, discrimination or abuse.
‘It is
essential that our hardworking doctors, nurses and midwives are given the protection
the law requires if they do not want to participate in abortions.’
ENDS
The report concludes:
The Abortion Act 1967 provided in Section 4(1) – the
Conscience Clause – a clear right for all healthcare professionals who wish to
do so to opt out of involvement in the abortion process. Today, almost fifty
years later, when respect for difference and diversity in our society has
substantially increased, doctors and other healthcare practitioners should feel
as confident as ever, if not more so, about exercising this legal right. There
should be no question of healthcare professionals being, as the British Medical
Association has described it in evidence to this Inquiry, harassed and
discriminated against. There should be no question of their being denied career
choices or progression; nor of the exercise of the right to opt out being
dependent upon the views and attitudes of individual managers; nor of there being a lack of clear teaching
to medical students of their legal rights in this regard. The All-Party
Parliamentary Pro-Life Group hopes that
as a result of this Inquiry and report, healthcare professionals’ ability, and
indeed resolve, to rely on this right will be strengthened and appropriately
defended at all times by their professional bodies.
