Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what safeguards are in place to ensure that those with serious mental health conditions who wish to seek a telemedical abortion are given adequate support.

Safeguarding is an essential aspect of abortion care, and abortion providers are required to have effective arrangements in place to safeguard children and vulnerable adults accessing their services. Before an early medical abortion can be undertaken at home, women are given the choice to have either an in-person consultation or a virtual consultation. However, if the doctor has any concerns, the woman will be asked to attend a clinic.

As laid out in the Department’s required standard operating procedures for the approval of independent sector places for termination of pregnancy in England, staff should be able to identify those who require more support than can be provided in the routine abortion service setting, such as those with a mental health condition, and have appropriate referral pathways to support services in place.