A group of up to 80 doctors drawn from general practice, obstetrics, and gynaecology and psychiatry has banded together in Munster to lobby for optimal abortion care for women. Mike Thompson, a GP member of START, said they don’t expect all GPs to provide an abortion service “but we would expect them to make a referral”. He said the introduction of an abortion service in Ireland looks set to be “the quickest introduction ever” — Portugal took a year-and-a-half and that was considered fast. After that, clear referral pathways will need to be in place to secondary care services, for Termination of Pregnancy (TOP). She said the model of abortion care being looked at by doctors’ professional bodies is not yet agreed and that work on guidelines is just starting.

Source: Irish Examiner September 29, 2018 10:30 UTC