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Original poster

Aargh - the Society for the Protection of the Unborn Child are distributing leaflets to GPs

55 replies

LadyBiscuit · 28/02/2011 18:16

This has made me so cross. There was just a piece on PM on Radio 4 about this but can't find anything online. Apparently there are thousands of GPs who have accepted SPUC's leaflet as a way of informing women who are considering abortion about the facts. There was a GP on who was saying that they needed their leaflets because information elsewhere did not provide a true picture.

The SPUC is a lobbying group trying to prevent abortion altogether (let's remember they tried to get the Morning After pill banned a few years ago) and are completely bloody inappropriate as a source of information at a GP's surgery which are supposed to be impartial.

I'm quite tempted to write to the GMC Angry

OP posts:
Original poster
LadyBiscuit · 01/03/2011 09:55

RamblingRosa - I would think the GMC. Isn't that who Eddie Mair said they had contacted for a comment?

From their code of practice on Personal Beliefs:

In our core guidance, Good Medical Practice, we advise doctors that:

* You must make the care of your patient your first concern ('The duties of a doctor').
* You must treat your patients with respect, whatever their life choices and beliefs (paragraph 7).
* You must not unfairly discriminate against patients by allowing your personal views to affect adversely your professional relationship with them or the treatment you provide or arrange (paragraph 7).
* If carrying out a particular procedure or giving advice about it conflicts with your religious or moral beliefs, and this conflict might affect the treatment or advice you provide, you must explain this to the patient and tell them they have the right to see another doctor. You must be satisfied that the patient has sufficient information to enable them to exercise that right. If it is not practical for a patient to arrange to see another doctor, you must ensure that arrangements are made for another suitably qualified colleague to take over your role (paragraph 8).
* You must not express to your patients your personal beliefs, including political, religious or moral beliefs, in ways that exploit their vulnerability or that are likely to cause them distress (paragraph 33)

Surely giving out this leaflet conflicts with that advice?

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weegiemum · 01/03/2011 09:54

RamblingRose - if they dont offer any contraceptive advice I think they might be in breach of their contract, and might need to offer an on-site contraceptive clinic run by someone else. Again, I'll ask (my dh's first job was with a GP who only gave contraception to married women. When dh arrived in the practice, he suddenly became exceptionally popular with all the unmarried women in the area!)

weegiemum · 01/03/2011 09:52

You wouldn't expat Wink

weegiemum · 01/03/2011 09:51

I'm not sure I'll ask dh.

It is appalling and it probably just said "SPUC" on the back in tiny writing from what I know of them (I am a Christian and was much more evangelical back in the day, though never to this woman-hating level ....). They also target medical students, and nursing students, which I think is vile. Let people make up their own minds. If you are intelligent enough to be a doctor, you are intelligent enough to figure out what you think without this sort of emotional propaganda!

RamblingRosa · 01/03/2011 09:51

I'm pleased to find this thread. I heard that on R4 too and was ranting and huffing and puffing with rage!

MmeLindt they were clearly from SPUC as SPUC wrote to the GPs first offering them the material.

My GP's surgery doesn't offer contraceptive advice or abortion referrals as they don't agree with it on principle which I was rather Shock and Hmm about when I first found out. However, at least they're up front about their beliefs. What makes me angry about these GPs offering the SPUC advice is that they're purporting to give unbiased advice yet handing out this kind of crap. Makes me very Angry

So who should we write to? Is GMC the best bet? What would they do?

expatinscotland · 01/03/2011 09:49

Well, in our surgery I can't say I've ever seen such leaflets or posters. No hassle about birth control, either, including referring DH for the snip Wink.

MmeLindt · 01/03/2011 09:46

That is appalling.

Weegie
Were the leaflets immediately obvious as coming from the SPUC? Could some GPs have put them in their surgeries without really noticing that they were very onesided?

freewoman · 01/03/2011 09:44

It takes a bit of faffing around but one can email the GMC.

expatinscotland · 01/03/2011 09:43

Ah, I see!

weegiemum · 01/03/2011 09:41

They come in the post afaik expat. Well in our area they do anyway, can't see anyone schlepping so far!

So the doctors see them and can bin.

If a GP accepts the non-clinical appointment that a personal visit would accept without checking who it is, more fool them. Tbh most don't have time.

I suspect that most of the "thousands" who have accepted them are evangelical christians (over-represented in medecine, esp GP) who were looking for a resource like this anyway.

When I first got pg with dd1, my GP had a huge poster of the "stages of pregnancy" on her wall with photos etc. I now realise it was to put people off having an abortion (she told me so).

Shouldn't be allowed. I might ask dh how it could be stopped.

expatinscotland · 01/03/2011 09:37

Do they have to accept these leaflets?

weegiemum · 01/03/2011 09:30

My dh is a GP he put these leaflets straight in the bin and asked never to be contacted by them again.

He doesn't refer for abortion - as he is legally entitled under the abortion act. But he doesn't and would never use emotive and propagandist material in this situation. A simple, polite explanation is all that is required.

freewoman · 01/03/2011 09:27

Christ and you had to stay with that practice? No advice about any fertility matter by that doc would be reliable.

freewoman · 01/03/2011 09:25

OOH that is brave. Do I have the guts? I'd rather it came from the GMC.

freewoman · 01/03/2011 09:23

It is supposed to be about hormones but makes no sense at all. what they base it on was an "association" in outdated studies. Women who are poor at caring for their health, poor diet etc will be less likely to breast feed which is protective. They are likely to be over represented in the group of women who seek/need terminations. That "association" is what SPUC used and has been clearly refuted by up to date recent studies and all cancer experts.

freewoman · 01/03/2011 09:19

I know I have written to the GMC already and have just been fighting this on a Telegraph forum. The idea that abortion or miscarriage results in breast cancer is evil misinformation.

Original poster
LadyBiscuit · 28/02/2011 23:00

Good idea forkful. It may get picked up tomorrow but wouldn't hurt to alert. It is simply not on for GPs to distribute propaganda under the guise of 'facts'

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ForkfulOfTabouleh · 28/02/2011 22:28

This is fucking outrageous.

Shall we all email are own GP surgeries to ask them if they have these and suggest that it would be a very bad idea if they do get them.

I wonder if the SPUC has done this a bit "by stealth".

There is a wider issue here about groups/companies providing info/advertorials to GPs/community groups/schools etc.

If there is anyway of getting this issue a wider audience in the mainstream media then GPs will be alerted and more likely to ditch the leaflets?

I'm going to report this post to MNHQ to bring it to their attention to see if they are interested in alerting any print journos.

SardineQueen · 28/02/2011 19:28

Why would abortion cause breast cancer? What is teh mechanism supposed to be?

How bizarre.

SardineQueen · 28/02/2011 19:27

x-posts

SardineQueen · 28/02/2011 19:27

What a load of shit those documents are (read two of them).

Are you more likely to get breast cancer if you have an abortion? I never knew that. I knew that breast cancer was reduced by breastfeeding... Confused

Original poster
LadyBiscuit · 28/02/2011 19:23

According to wiki:

The abortion-breast cancer hypothesis has been the subject of extensive scientific inquiry, and the scientific community has concluded that abortion does not cause breast cancer. This consensus is supported by major medical bodies, including the World Health Organization, the U.S. National Cancer Institute, the American Cancer Society, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

So a load of bollocks. And if there is a link then presumably women who miscarry in the 1st trimester are equally at risk. So I should be dead by now on that basis

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Original poster
LadyBiscuit · 28/02/2011 19:21

It's the pretending to be impartial bit that really gets on my tits. And this GP was saying that the info provided from the RCOG didn't mention the fact that if you have an abortion, you're more likely to get breast cancer which he thinks is very important Hmm

Here's the link to the programme. It was about 5.40pm I think.

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Youremindmeofthebabe · 28/02/2011 19:17

I can't find that actual one, but there's loads of others on their website.

here

SardineQueen · 28/02/2011 19:17

I couldn't find it.

I don't know if GPs have to stick to the party line on stuff. I think as long as they are not giving misinformation they can probably do as they choose? TBH having a GP sit and say to me in a smugly judgemental tone "I do not agree with contraception because of my religious beliefs and so will have to ask one of my colleagues to sign this prescription" wasn't exactly a neutral experience Hmm

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