Or should GP surgery's not be allowed to advertise themselves as 'pro-life'?

[Clownwithafrown]

I'm job hunting and came across an ad for a medical receptionist at a GP surgery. I wasn't sure where exactly this particular surgery was so googled it and this statement was on the home page; 'The Doctors here at xxxx Surgery are committed to a 'pro-life' policy. This means that the Doctors value each individual’s 'life' from conception to natural death.'

I'm not reading that wrong am I, they are stating that they're anti abortion aren't they? Surely that shouldn't be allowed at an NHS practice should it? I'm a bit gobsmacked that it's blatantly there on the home page, literally the first thing you see when you click on the site. And it clearly means all the doctors, I mean obviously people don't have to register with that surgery but for there to be no options for those who already are registered just doesn't seem right to me. Does anyone know if this is actually allowed?

As far as I'm aware any doctor can choose to be pro life, ie anti abortion, but they must refer you on to another doctor who doesn't have those beliefs so you can still access the service if needed.

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1967/87/section/4

Conscientious objection is protected by law.

But I think @meganna is right in saying that they must ensure you are referred to someone who will provide the service.

Nothing illegal with conscientious objection, they just need to direct/refer you to another service that offers termination services.

They can refer women to the appropriate services for terminations but the doctors are allowed their own views.

Yes, they are allowed to conscientiously object, in accordance with GMC regulations. Would need to signpost patients to a dr or service who is able to help them though.

Ste there time limits in which they have to do that signposting?

Cynical me.

For them to have that on their website, I wonder if it means they only accept doctors at that surgery who are pro life?

Are they allowed to discriminate and not take on doctors who aren't?

Women are harmed or die when safe and legal abortion is not available. There is nothing
‘pro life’ about being anti abortion.
the gp practice can be as clear as they like but they should be factually correct before anything else.

It isn't against the law to be pro-life. Medical ethics were against abortion in the past.

I wouldn't have thought so that would be discrimination on grounds of religion or belief

I am surprised this would be allowed but I think GP practicies may be provate businesses who sell their services to the NHS?

Obviously any individual GP can opt out of providing a particular service but I can't see how a whole practice can decline to advise/refer to a legal service

It shouldn't be allowed. But unfortunately the NHS allows drs working within it to opt out of a key part of healthcare because it affects females. SHOCK. I've had the most horrific experience when I was effectively marooned in a hospital (not my local but in the UK) with complications due to an abortion. All the drs in the gyne department were anti abortionists who refused to treat me, yet I wasn't well enough to be discharged. I had a ebf baby at the time and didn't realise my rights as a breastfeeding mum, and that I could have insisted on baby being in with me. The whole experience still makes me seethe with rage when I think on it 5 years on. It was because of the wise women of MN that the whole situation was sorted for me actually!

Well, the positive side is that they are open about it.

If I saw that poster up at my GP surgery I'd walk out and register somewhere else, but I'm lucky to have that option.

I'd expect that practice to argue the toss with me about managing my mum's symptoms and infections as well, despite the fact she's knocking on 90 with zero quality of life and they should be aggressively treating her misery, not her deterioration.

I guess the good thing is that as a receptionist at the practice, you could make a huge difference by making sure you have good up to date information available on where patients can go instead for appropriate health care.

In theory perhaps, but I strongly suspect that would also go down very badly with the doctors at the practice

The same guidance applies to pharmacists - they can refuse to provide the morning after pill or even contraception, but are supposed to signpost to somewhere else that'll oblige

The key words being "supposed to" ...

They're allowed, rightly or wrongly. At least they are signposting it clearly rather than letting women register then find out they can't access basic services. I wonder if they also refuse IVF, morning after pill etc.

Unbelievable! Please write to your MP for clarification about this. I’m Christian (Anglican) and I think this is absolutely abhorrent. I had to have a late abortion because the baby’s heart wasn’t beating and I didn’t miscarry naturally. It was hideous but I could have died without it. All women should have the choice to do this, no women should have to go to their GP then be turned away by a prolifer, especially if there is domestic abuse, where is the duty of care. I’m sorry doctors shouldn’t be practicing in a NHS GP surgery if there pro life views impact patients. Surgeries are so over prescribed these days women may not have the choice of choosing an alternative. (Or they may not even advertise their pro life views when new patients sign up)

It's shockingly inappropriate, and displays a worrying ignorance for supposedly scientifically minded professionals. Abortion is a necessary healthcare procedure for some women, and denying legal abortion leads to tragedy, injury and death.

Well I think it's good that they 'advertise' it because then women can make a choice to absolutely not register at a practice that doesn't offer perfectly legal healthcare services.

I feel that their values might not quite align with mine, so it's not somewhere I'd consider working,

I would suspect they have just mistakenly used the term ‘pro life’ to put across the message they will support all patients from conception eg to mean they will support pregnant women . They probably need to just change the wording as it may not mean they are anti abortion at all (and would be extremely strange as a whole surgery to have that stance when the nhs offers abortion- individual doctors can be but they need to refer on to a colleague who can offer the referral )

No, that is not what it means. It means they will not support women seeking the morning after pill or abortion.

If it's the only GP practice covering a large rural area, I'd have concerns, but assuming it's a town/city practice then it's being upfront and it's upto people when they sign up or go elsewhere.

For many people abortion IS an ethical issue and making it a compulsory service that a medical professional must supply means that many doctors won't be able to continue their job. I think we have a decent balance in the UK so that doctors aren't forced to make decisions they disagree with or leave their job, but also ensuring that women can access abortion services.

I've never heard of an entire pro life GP practice though.

If it means they won't give MAP, then you'd better hope somewhere else nearby will, as obviously it's time sensitive.
I have to say it would put me off using them. Never mind working there.

Wow - that’s crazy. Would you feel comfortable sharing a link?

@Icanthinkformyselfthanks Did you not bother to read the poster above you who had to have a medical abortion due to her baby passing away? And you still think abortions are 'infanticide'? How on earth anyone can say something so willfully ignorant and cruel after that blows my mind.