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GPs body apologises for GP walk-out over abortion services

GPs body apologises for GP walk-out over abortion services

The Irish College of General Practitioners has said it is sorry that those who walked out of its meeting yesterday did not stay to listen.

They were discussing the abortion legislation that is due to come into force in January.

A number of doctors walked out, some had conscientious objections to providing the service while others had concerns over increasing workloads.

Health Minister Simon Harris has said doctors have a right to object to providing the service but says women also have a right to healthcare.

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GP in Kerry, Andrew O'Regan, feels their voices were not heard.

Dr O'Regan said: "This time 650 GPs petitioned the IAGP for an EGM, the IAGP held an EGM but said that the petition was not done properly and to our dismay at the EGM, all calls for a vote, all calls for any sort of democratic process were denied."

A group representing hundreds of nurses and midwives say they are standing with the doctors who are unhappy with the preparations.

Fiona McHugh from Nurses and Midwives 4 Life says there are clinical implications which still have not been addressed.

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Ms McHugh said: "We've had no meetings with Minister Harris at all, in fact, we've had no meetings whatsoever.

"This service is to be rolled out in January and any service that is new to healthcare, there would be talk about how this is going to happen, you'd have to work through a process.

"None of this has happened, we're completely and utterly in the dark."

- Digital Desk

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