Doctors may opt out of abortion service over fears of picketing

SEVERAL GPs fear their surgeries will be picketed by protesters if they provide a medical abortion service when the new law is introduced.

Although the doctors may not have a conscientious objection to providing abortion, it is likely to be a factor in some opting out.

Others are worried about workload and how they would fit the service into their daily care of patients.

There are also strong objections from a number of anti-abortion GPs to having to refer a woman to another doctor.

The concerns are understood to have emerged in a wide-ranging consultation of doctors carried out by the Irish College of General Practitioners (ICGP).

The ICGP is considering a request from some of its members to hold an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) to discuss its stand.

A spokeswoman for the ICGP confirmed it received a request to hold an EGM.

“The college’s rules require that a minimum of 10pc of members of good standing must sign the requisition of an EGM. Due procedure needs to be followed, including the validation of the names attached to the request,” the spokeswoman said.

A decision is likely to be made this week.

A recent survey of ICGP continuing medical education tutors revealed a majority would not become involved in a medical abortion service.

The group, made up of around 35 working GPs, wrote to ICGP chief executive Fintan Foy.

It felt that GPs should not have to be the designated doctors to provide a medical abortion and that they had been “too compliant”.

The Bill to Regulate Termination of Pregnancy will come before the Oireachtas health committee next week with the aim of having its provisions in place in January.

However, there is increasing concern that, with just two months to go, including the Christmas break, the support services may not be in place to meet this deadline.

GPs would only provide a medical abortion up to nine weeks of pregnancy and hospitals would be required to deliver it from between nine and 12 weeks.

The legislation will allow for termination where there is a diagnosed fatal foetal abnormality and where the mother’s health or life are at risk.

A 24-hour helpline will have to be set up to provide clinical advice to women. GPs will also want to have rapid access to ultrasound scans.

Clinical guidelines will be drawn up for GPs and hospitals to provide the necessary care for thousands of women who avail of abortion.