A British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) abortion clinic has been found to be putting women at serious risk, in a new report from the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
The report highlights several health and safety failings at BPAS Merseyside, including poor infection control and unchecked equipment.
It follows a report last year that raised serious concerns about safety, training and consent at a number of Marie Stopes clinics.
16 serious incidents over 3 years
The CQC investigated BPAS Merseyside following concerns raised by the NHS Trust. Over a period of three years, 16 serious incidents had occurred in which patients were admitted to hospital for emergency treatment. Eight of these incidents occurred between January 2015 and February 2016.
The clinic's registered manager, when asked to supply the full root cause analysis investigation reports on the incidents, was unclear on who had completed these reports.
She had not been involved in their production nor seen them in full.
Staff were not aware of what constituted a major incident, were not informed about their responsibilities during one, and did not recognise the importance of informing a patient when something went wrong.
The CQC report also found that there was no effective system in place to ensure that resuscitation equipment was regularly checked.
Infection control procedures not followed
Health and safety risks were also identified, such as infection control procedures not always being followed during abortion procedures.
Drug syringes were left without a cap or needle on the end which presents a risk of cross infection.
Dirty linen was carried by staff, unbagged, throughout the clinic, and staff would leave the ward without changing their clothes.
'Callous disregard for health and safety'
When a number of Marie Stopes services were suspended last year, BPAS's Chief Executive, Ann Furedi, said that if women were pregnant and "need high quality abortion care you will be able to access services."
But the CQC report indicates that BPAS clinics may not be offering "high quality" services at all.
Clara Watson, a spokeswoman for LIFE charity, said:
"Yet again we are confronted with shocking revelations about the callous disregard for health and safety by another member of the abortion industry. BPAS was critical of Marie Stopes International with its chief executive saying she would be called on to resign if those safety failures were found at BPAS. We await the BPAS response to this report about its own safety failures."
'In the education sector schools would be closed'
She continued:
"What is clear is that the two largest independent abortion providers who receive millions of pounds of taxpayer money annually have been found to be placing the health and safety of their patients at risk. In the education sector schools would be closed if there were safety risks to children."
Related Links:
CQC finds safety issues at BPAS abortion clinic after 16 serious incidents (Life Charity)
Marie Stopes suspends surgical abortions after surprise inspection by Care Quality Commission (Telegraph)