Safety Issues Suspend Some Marie Stopes Abortion Services

Hundreds of women seeking abortions are to be sent to alternative clinics after some services run by Marie Stopes International were suspended due to safety concerns raised by inspectors.

The intervention by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) means that around 250 women a week will need to be sent to alternative clinics until Marie Stopes International can assure the inspectorate that its clinics are operating safely.

The CQC said it was concerned that the right protocols may not be in place to ensure that girls under the age of 18 were able to give informed consent to a termination.

Inspectors also raised concerns about the standards of anaesthesia in clinics where women were undergoing a surgical abortion after 12 weeks of pregnancy. Marie Stopes International has now suspended any terminations carried out under general anaesthetic or under sedation after 12 weeks.

In a statement, chief executive of Marie Stopes International, Simon Cooke said:

"Our immediate priority is to make sure that women booked into one of our affected services are rebooked swiftly into alternative local services and we are working closely with NHS England to ensure that this happens.

"We'd like to reassure people that our other services remain unaffected. Each year 70,000 women are treated within our centres, and our clinical outcomes continue to outperform the national average."

If your health has suffered due to the negligence of a medical professional, you may be entitled to compensation. Call our team in confidence on 0161 627 2469 to discuss your circumstances.

Mellor Hargreaves Ltd

Medical Negligence Solicitors