A well-known provider of abortion services has been bombarded with requests from police for women’s medical records in recent years, with more than 30 demands made in the past four years alone. Rachael Clarke, Chief of Staff at the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS), has raised concerns about this uptick in police scrutiny on BPAS and other similar organizations.
Clarke stressed BPAS’s strong commitment to patient confidentiality, noting that the organization typically requires a court order before releasing any medical records to the police. However, she expressed worry over the increasing number of investigations targeting women who have exceeded the 24-week legal limit for abortions.
In response to these challenges, Labour MP Diana Johnson is advocating for an amendment to the Offences Against the Person Act 1861, which aims to ease the legal pressure on women seeking abortions after the 24-week limit. Clarke highlighted the disproportionate impact of legal actions on women, sharing stories of individuals facing police investigations despite their vulnerable circumstances.
Source: Police have demanded records from UK abortion provider 32 times since 2020 | Abortion | The Guardian
