Date of abortion services announced

Legal reform and services coming in three months

Appropriate and full services for Manx women seeking an abortion are a matter of months away, it has been revealed by the health minister.

David Ashford announced in Tynwald today that legal reform and the associated facilities would be established on the Isle of Man from Friday, 24 May.

Mr Ashford says that the entire act will be coming in on the same day, rather than incrementally.

He says implementing the necessary provision in line with legislation, has been a 'key priority' for his department.

Although services are said to be comprehensive complex scenarios for some women could still require travel to the UK for care.

"Initially, there may be a couple of cases that would have to travel off-island, but we expect only those to be the most complicated cases.

"We're not going to be able to provide all services if there's extreme complications for whatever reason, and that happens now with women when they have to go in certain circumstances, that isn't going to change.  

"But the whole point of this act, was that we should be delivering services on the Island and that is what the department will aim to do."

Final approval

The appointed day order will be laid before the next Tynwald sitting in March, with the regulations and directions, which includes access zones, of the Abortion Reform Bill 2019 subject to a final approval from Tynwald in May.

The entire act is then expected to be in place by 24 May.

Members including Lawrie Hooper and Dr Alex Allinson, were quick to thank the minister for his dedication in implementing the legislation, but Mr Ashford was asked to give assurances on the resilience on the new Manx service.

"We get one shot at this," he said "it is absolutely important that the services can cope and can provide for the women of our Island, quite rightly, are not just expecting and demanding, but also receiving."

Pro-choice group Campaign for Abortion Law Modernisation (CALM) tweeted reaction to the news.

13 weeks 2 days until provisions of Abortion Reform Act become fully available, making abortion up to 14 weeks available for any reason. #trustwomen #IOM

— CALM IoM (@calmiom) February 20, 2019