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New CQC Report Into Marie Stopes Clinics Suggests Bulk-Signing That Could Enable Sex-Selective Abortion
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The recent Care Quality Commission Report into Marie Stopes International abortion clinics has found two clinics engaged in the ‘bulk signing’ of HSA1 forms that authorise abortions, raising concerns amongst women’s groups that this evidences the kind of practice that enables illegal abortions, including for sex-selective purposes.
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On page 36 of the CQC report, it states that:
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“The Required Standard Operating Procedure (RSOP) standard one requires providers to ensure that the completion of legal paperwork (HSA1 and HSA4 forms) is undertaken in a timely manner. However, on inspection we found that in two centres there was bulk signing of HSA1 forms by clinicians, of between 30 to 60 forms at a time. Surgeons and anaesthetists were requested to do this as the demand was too great for remote doctors and we were informed by doctors that HSA1 forms were being signed on the basis of the ‘reason for termination’ information only, which was printed or handwritten on the back of the form. We were not assured clinicians had access to all patient information. Completion of HSA1 forms was mentioned specifically in job plans for remote doctors, surgeons and anaesthetists. We noted that there was no allowance for time taken to review patient information as relevant, within these specific job plans…
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We were also concerned that there was a lack of assurance that two signatories had been obtained before prescribing abortifacient medication. We raised this matter with the provider, who undertook a review of the signing process and issued further guidance to MSI staff. The provider undertook an audit of the process which demonstrated that 95% of audited forms were signed prior to the administration of abortifacient medication. However, there was no evidence of on-going monitoring of the new processes”.
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This is precisely the kind of irresponsible abuse of practice that could cover for abortions taking place for any reason, including to abort baby girls.
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Rani Bilkhu founder of Jeena International and spokeswoman for https://stopgendercide.org/ said:
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“These abuses in Marie Stopes clinics show that the potential for sex-selective abortion to be practised is very real. We have seen pre-signing of HSA1 forms take place thanks to previous investigations by the CQC into MSI and BPAS facilities, and clearly current regulations and law are insufficient to properly prevent this from happening.
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It is time for the Government to take its head out of the sand, and deal on a legislative and regulatory level with this problem so that the misogyny of sex-selection that the women we help have so often reported can be finally stopped”.
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ENDS
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For interviews, contact https://stopgendercide.org/ spokeswomen Rani Bilkhu: 07958 603 541, ranibilkhu@hotmail.com
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A feature video on the Stop Gendercide campaign including interviews with Jasvinder Sanghera and Rani Bilkhu is available here (The original video file is available on request): http://youtu.be/nJCMkb8R1Rw.
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