Abortion clinics `rewriting law'.

Byline: Louise Palfreyman

MIDLAND hospitals have been accused of 'rewriting the law' to limit the number of abortions carried out on the NHS.

According to a new report, women are finding it harder than ever to terminate unwanted pregnancies from health authorities across the region.

The findings follow claims that some Midland doctors object to performing the operation on ethical grounds, as revealed by the Sunday Mercury earlier this year.

The Abortion Law Reform Association (ALRA), a pro-termination group, carried out a national survey of health authorities and found they are imposing tough selection criteria to limit who can get an NHS abortion.

The group's report says many are setting their own rules beyond those set out in the Abortion Act 1967.

Wolverhampton Health Authority favours women who have experienced a failure in contraception, women who already have two young children and single mothers. The authority also only allows a second termination in exceptional circumstances. Walsall Health Authority refuses to fund a third abortion, according to the survey results.

Solihull Health Authority only funds 45 per cent of abortions - the lowest figure in the country - arguing that women in the area can afford private treatment.

But the Abortion Act states an abortion may be carried out if:

The pregnancy has not exceeded 24 weeks

- The physical and mental well-being of the woman is at risk

- The woman's life or unborn child's life is at risk

Jane Roe, campaign director of the ALRA, said: "We already know the Midlands is a problem area but we were surprised to find health authorities setting their own criteria.

"They are effectively rewriting the law and being allowed to ration services in any way they like. This is totally unacceptable and judgemental.

"Women are being asked to justify their need for an abortion beyond the law.

"Rationing abortions in this way creates unnecessary stress at a very difficult time."

Dr Adrian Phillips, director of public health for Wolverhampton Health Authority, admitted restrictive criteria are currently in place.

"We do have restrictions but we have just gone to public consultation on this matter and we will consider the responses carefully.

"We need to establish whether criteria set 10 years ago are now outdated."

Dr Sam Ramaiah, of Walsall Health Authority, denied there were any rules on abortion outside the Abortion Act.

He said: "We have no criteria in place and will offer a third abortion on request."

Dr Andrew Richardson, director of public health for Solihull Health Authority, said the low number of NHS funded operations was due to the affluence of the area.

"It is not an explicit decision by us to restrict abortion," he said. "Some patients go direct to private clinics because they want a termination as quickly as possible."