Ireland – ‘Doctors divided as HSE rushes to tick boxes on abortion’

Maeve Sheehan: 'Doctors divided as HSE rushes to tick boxes on abortion'
Pressure is mounting for the January 1 start date for termination services to be put back

Maeve Sheehan
December 9 2018

There are 22 days to go before the roll-out of abortion services on January 1. It should be a historic occasion when the overwhelming support shown by Irish voters for a woman's right to choose becomes reality.

But as the deadline looms, disquiet among some doctors that it is ambitious to the point of being unsafe has grown louder.

Continued: https://www.independent.ie/opinion/comment/maeve-sheehan-doctors-divided-as-hse-rushes-to-tick-boxes-on-abortion-37607881.html

Ireland – Nurses campaign to opt out of abortion provision

Nurses campaign to opt out of abortion provision

Wednesday, November 28, 2018
By Evelyn Ring

A group of nurses and midwives has joined GPs in declaring they do not want to participate in providing abortion services. The group, Nurses & Midwives4Life Ireland, says if a woman opts for a surgical termination, they will be asked to provide the pre-operative care, to which they object.

Last month, hundreds of anti-abortion GPs voiced their concerns about the new laws and asked Health Minister Simon Harris not to rush legislation through.

Continued: https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/nurses-campaign-to-opt-out-of-abortion-provision-888378.html

Ireland – Doctors call for legislation to protect conscientious objectors in abortion services

Doctors call for legislation to protect conscientious objectors in abortion services
Nurses and midwives hope ‘current protections will apply in the future’

Fri, Oct 5, 2018
Patsy McGarry

The Department of Health is to meet medical colleges including the Irish College of General Practitioners, the Royal College of Physicians, and the Institute of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists to discuss clinical protocols to deliver an abortion service, a spokeswoman for the Irish Medical Organisation has said. It is the largest medical representative body and trade union in Ireland.

It was “important that medical professionals can, on a conscientious basis, choose not to deliver this service,” she said.

Continued: https://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/religion-and-beliefs/doctors-call-for-legislation-to-protect-conscientous-objectors-in-abortion-services-1.3653149

Ireland – Abortion: INMO calls for conscientious objection safeguards

Abortion: INMO calls for conscientious objection safeguards
Nurses union has had no discussions to date with HSE about the implications of repeal

May 2, 2018
Barry Roche

The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation expects the same conscientious objection protections that exist for nurses under the Protection of Life in Pregnancy Act to be afforded to nurses and midwives in any forthcoming legislation in the event of the Eighth Amendment being repealed.

INMO director of social policy and regulation Edward Matthews said that nurses and midwives are afforded the same protections as medical practitioners when it comes to conscientious objection to carrying out a termination of pregnancy.

Continued: https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/abortion-inmo-calls-for-conscientious-objection-safeguards-1.3481966