by Gabriella Swerling, Telegraph
Campaigners argue Streeting’s strategy to incentivise clinics for ‘same day’ treatments will leave women with less time to reconsider
Labour would encourage “lunch-hour” abortions under new plans, critics have claimed.
A change to the payment structure for abortion clinics would provide a “financial incentive” to rush women through treatment, claimed anti-abortion campaigners.
The new payment process was launched as part of Wes Streeting’s renewed women’s health strategy for England, in which he promised to tackle medical misogyny and improve women’s care.
Right To Life UK, the campaign group, said that plans buried within the 90-page strategy would financially incentivise abortion clinics to provide “same day” or “lunch-hour” abortions.
As a result, women could be rushed through the abortion process and given little time to process and contemplate a life-changing decision.
Under the current NHS payment scheme, abortion clinics are typically paid separately for each stage of an abortion, which includes the consultation, scan and procedure. This encourages a slowing down of the process and gives women more time to consider their decision.