A pro-choice group has raised concerns over health chiefs’ handling of changes to abortion laws.

The Campaign for Abortion Law Modernisation said it welcomed the confirmation this week that services would be available on May 24 but claimed Health Minister David Ashford’s update on how that will work was vague. The group expressed concern that it appeared patients would, at least at the start, need to go to Noble’s Hospital to access services.

CALM spokesman Stephanie Kelsey said: ’The Department of Health and Social Care’s response talks about abortion services being integrated into the yet-to-be-finalised Integrated Sexual Health Service.

’But for now, there is no clear pathway. The service is to be offered in association with the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS).

’With just eight weeks to go until the Abortion Reform Act is enacted, the terms of this association are not yet finalised, and nothing in this response shows any determination to offer a simple, easy to access healthcare service available as all other healthcare is, via your doctor.’

She said CALM would monitor the new service and how it was accessed - and would hold the DHSC to account.

’There is no requirement in the act for a woman to have an ultrasound to date her pregnancy and no requirement that she be sent away with information to read before returning for a procedure at a later date,’ she said.

’These steps take away from the intent of the law which is about trusting women and allowing them straightforward access to reproductive healthcare.’

She added: ’Introducing those requirements and insisting that women access the service via the hospital rather than their GP causes unnecessary delay - days which could make a difference between a safe and legal medical procedure and a more complicated surgical one.’

Ms Kelsey said CALM wanted anyone seeking an abortion to have access to full information but Mr Ashford’s response was vague and ’implies that that women are still not to be trusted to make a decision about their own reproductive health’.

She added: ’This new law shows that the Isle of Man is not afraid to be progressive.

’But the lack of clarity in the wording of this response is worrying. Without the provision of services as legislated for in the Abortion Reform Act we are in danger of having a law on the statute books which is not actually accessible to the people who need it.’