NHS health board admits 'no competence' in later abortion care
The FOI response from NHS GGC to The Herald in May showed there are currently 40 staff trained to provide the care in the health board up to the gestational legal limit.
However, this month, their communications team said this was a "mistake".
In the FOI, The Herald asked the board to reveal 'the number of staff members trained to provide abortion care up to the legal limit.'
The [[Freedom of Information]] team responded: 'QEUH [Queen Elizabeth University Hospital] 20, RAH [Royal Alexandra Hospital] 20'.
Asked for a comment on these figures, NHS GGC communications team told The Herald: 'There was a mistake with the FOI.
"It said that 20 members of staff at the QEUH and the RAH could provide abortion care up to the legal limit.
'To clarify, as per our previous response, NHS GGC offers termination of pregnancy for all up to 20 weeks of gestation.
'We are aware discussions are ongoing at a national level with the Scottish Government about abortion care. We recommend reaching out to them for comment.'
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When asked on several occasions to provide an amended figure, they later told The Herald: "We only carry out procedures up to 20 weeks. Consequently, the staff do not have the practical competence or experience required for cases beyond 20 weeks."
However, asked for clarity on the staffing figures, a Freedom of Information Officer for the health board said the numbers provided in the FOI response were correct.
A Freedom of Information Officer said: "In response to your query, we can confirm that the numbers provided relate to the total number of staff."
Yet, on Wednesday this week, the FOI team re-iterated the statement from NHS GGC, stating there is no "practical competence or experience required for cases beyond 20 weeks'.
In May this year, The Herald was informed that there are two fully qualified surgeons who can provide the care up to the legal limit.
The admission and confusion comes as, across Scotland, one woman every four days is forced to travel down to England for an abortion they cannot be provided for in Scotland.
Currently, no health board here is able to provide the care up to the legal limit, unless under exceptional circumstances.
Exceptional circumstances include when a woman has a foetal anomaly but they do not cover 'ground C' cases such as 'social reasons' which can also include rape victims.
NHS GGC has said their pregnancy termination services are delivered "in line with the national position" and the care they provide "in all cases" is "informed by clinical need."
The Herald understands 65 women were sent to England by the Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board in the last 5 years.
In the same period, approximately 20 women are believed to have paid privately for the care and made the journey down south.
Across Scotland, in 2024, there were 88 women from Scotland treated by the charity British Pregnancy Advisory Service at abortion clinics in England, up from 67 the year before.
The Scottish Government's 2021 Women's Health Plan had an aim that 'all women will have a choice about how and where they access abortion care'.
During their conference in 2022, the SNP committed to ensuring abortion services are available up to the legal limit of 24 weeks for all patients.
The British Pregnancy Advisory Service has called on the Scottish Government to establish a national facility to provide the care.
Ministers have set up a Task and Finish Group to ensure "equitable access" to abortion services up to the legal gestational limit within Scotland, "as soon as possible."
Public Health Minister Jenni Minto has said she has written to the chair of the group urging them to report back within six months and provide 'an expert view' on establishing a later stage abortion service in Scotland.
Jenni Minto (Image: Scottish Government) The Scottish Government has also committed to pay for training for any clinician who wishes to provide later stage abortions.
Public Health Minister Ms Minto said: 'I empathise with all women who must travel to access abortion services. Together with NHS Boards and other key partners we are working to support women and establish equitable access to abortion services up to the legal gestational limit, as soon as possible.
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