Councillor calls for home abortions as appointments cancelled

Speaking on behalf of one woman who had her abortion cancelled without an alternative date arranged, Birmingham Councillor Nicky Brennan says that it is a ‘human right’ for women to have access to such services.

And she has been supported in her campaign by Labour MP Jess Philips, who says that she intends to take the issue up with the Health Secretary in the coming days.

A range of non-essential NHS services have been cancelled in recent weeks as the outbreak of Covid-19 intensifies, with most GP surgeries across the country now only offering appointments over the phone.

And Councillor Brennan says that this includes the cancelling of abortions, something which can currently only be carried out at local clinics.

She said: “So I had a friend ring me saying that her friend was in a really bad state, and that she was desperate to have this abortion, which was due for April, and they have just cancelled it, and given her no alternative at all.

“She is seven-weeks pregnant now, so she is worried that she is just not going to be able to get an abortion, or she will have to pay to go private. So it really is quite worrying.

“If they are cancelling things like chemotherapy I can see why they would try and cancel something like this.

“I’m also concerned about women who are self-isolating or who are ill, as well, not being able to go into the clinics. And I just think we need a big push for women being able to have abortions at home if they’re non-surgical. It just makes common sense, and it’s a much more dignified approach.

“At the moment you have to go into the clinic, they give you a tablet, and then you come back the next day, and then they give you another tablet, and then you go home.

“So your abortion could start as soon as you leave the clinic. So say if you’re getting the bus, you get on the bus bleeding. So it’s not a very dignified thing anyway, it’s horrible, and with all this panic going on now it’s even worse.

“It could be administered at home, very easily. She’s so anxious about it, that’s she’s going to have to continue on with a pregnancy that she doesn’t want.

“It just doesn’t sound like a civilised society, if we’re stopping women having abortions, because it’s healthcare. And it’s a right that we have. So just because we’ve got a crisis going on, our human rights shouldn’t be taken away from us.

“It’s probably not something they’ve even considered, I know there’s a lot going on, but it is very important.”

Responding to a Tweet from Councillor Brennan about the issue, MP for Yardley said that she intended to take the issue up with the government, stating: “I thought of this today when looking through old medicines and found a load of pregnancy tests.

“I’ll speak to Royal College and health sec, for medical rather than surgical should be possible from home if possible.”