No woman will be turned away for an abortion on cost grounds, Health Minister David Ashford has pledged.

He provided an update on preparations for the reformed abortion law to come into full effect from May 24.

He said that resources allocated to the provision of the act were contained within divisional budgets.

The services, which the Department of Health and Social Care is obligated to provide, would be demand-led.

’As a new service it is impossible to predict what the actual costs of the service will be as there is no previous service provision upon which to base such predictions,’ he said.

’For absolute clarity no one will be turned away or not treated due to budgetary restraints.’

He pointed out that, under the Abortion Reform Act, there was provision that any expense incurred by the department in providing services would be paid out of ’monies provided by Tynwald’.

When Dr Alex Allinson’s act becomes law, terminations of pregnancy will be permitted upon request up to 14 weeks, under specified circumstances including ’serious social grounds’ during the 15- to 24-week period, and in certain emergency or serious situations after 24 weeks.

Under the current law, termination is only legal up to 24 weeks where there is a substantial risk the child would not survive birth, would die shortly afterwards or would be seriously handicapped.

Currently, pregnancies resulting from rape, incest or sexual assault can be terminated up to 12 weeks, but women have to provide an affidavit attesting to the cause of the pregnancy. Terminations on social grounds were not allowed.

Mr Ashford, who was replying to a House of Keys question from Lawrie Hooper (LibVannin, Ramsey) added: ’The Department of Health and Social Care is working with the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) to establish an appropriate abortion service pathway for women in the Isle of Man in accordance with the Abortion Reform Act 2019.

’The department is developing an integrated sexual health service (ISHS) and it is anticipated that medical abortion services will be a part of this service in the future.’

The ISHS project was still at the development stage, he said, so the department’s plan in the interim was ’to deliver medical abortion services within Noble’s Hospital with support from BPAS’.

Counselling guidelines were being drafted and the DHSC would make sure that the appropriate counselling service would be available from the moment the act took full effect.

Where the patient is below the age of 16, consent is required from a parent or guardian.

’The relevant (medical) professional should be satisfied that the decision to consent to the termination is taken in good faith and in the best interests of the woman,’ said Mr Ashford.

’The department will ensure that as part of the service pathway, appropriate support is in place for patients under the age of 16 and for those women who are unable to give informed consent due to mental, medical or physical incapacity.’

Women will be given full information to take away about their pregnancy options, the choice of abortion methods, side effects, risks and complications, emotions commonly experienced after abortion.

Details of support services for assault victims or women who have experienced ’sexual coercion’ will be given at the patient’s first appointment.

All information will have to be delivered in a ’non-judgemental way’.

The minister added: ’If a woman is uncertain about continuing to abortion, she should be given the opportunity for further discussion and decision support with the provider.’

’Women who are certain of their decision to have an abortion should not be subjected to compulsory counselling.’

A referral to the mental health service would only be suggested in ’exceptional circumstances’.

Post-procedure counselling will be offered on request.

After an abortion, if it is felt a woman’s mental health may be at risk, a referral to mental health services will be available.