AQW 20413/17-22

Ms Paula Bradshaw
Alliance Party
South Belfast

Tabled Date: 15/06/2021
Answered On Date: 30/11/2021
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Health what measures are being put in place to prevent more than one woman a day having to travel during a pandemic to England and Wales for reproductive healthcare.

Answer:

Some aspects of reproductive healthcare, such as terminations of pregnancy beyond 10 weeks, are not routinely provided by any HSC Trust and arrangements remain in place for women requiring services beyond 10 weeks to be referred to private providers in England without charge until such times as fully commissioned services become available in Northern Ireland. Early Medical Abortion (EMA) pathways for terminations up to 10 weeks gestation were put in place across the five Health and Social Care (HSC) Trusts from April 2020 and, with the exception of the Western HSC Trust EMA service, these services remain available to women across Northern Ireland.

It is widely acknowledged that my Department will only be able to properly address issues such as funding and equitable access in the context of a fully commissioned regional service model, and that this will be a matter for the Northern Ireland Executive to decide upon in due course. Planning for this is under way with proposals expected to be submitted to the Executive by early 2022.

The Western Trust is working towards the resumption of a sustainable EMA service model as soon as possible, however this remains dependent upon the easing of pressures within the community and acute sectors of the Trust which have adversely affected all services.

Women who require access to abortion services should contact the central contact point for referral to either their local Trust EMA services or to the relevant English services as appropriate. Contact details are available on Trust websites.