Dublin, Ireland, Nov 8, 2018 / 14:05 pm
Some 640 general practitioners in the Republic of Ireland have signed a petition saying their concerns have not been listened to regarding the government's plan to have abortion services led by general practitioners.
"Instead of reaching out to the hundreds of GPs, Minister Harris has adopted an utterly dismissive tone from the get-go," said Dr. Aisling Bastible, according to The Irish News.
The Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018 proposed by health minister Simon Harris will have a general-practitioner led abortion service. It would require pro-life healthcare professionals to provide abortion referrals, though not to perform them.
"No matter what your stance on abortion, you would surely expect the minister to consult with GPs on the ground before legislating," said Dr. Andrew O'Regan.