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The British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) has launched a new service to enable women in Northern Ireland to receive abortion medication by post. It comes after politicians delayed abortion services despite it being made legal up to 12 weeks last month.

According to BPAS, abortion services that should have been available to women in Northern Ireland have not been, with the charity urging NI Health Minister, Robin Swann, to explain why and receiving no response.

Women were instead being told – in ‘preposterous and reckless’ public health announcements - to take an eight-hour ferry to England if they wanted to access abortion. The charity also stated that two women have attempted suicide because they could not access abortion care, with other vulnerable women unable to leave their house because of the risk of Covid-19 left abandoned by the formal healthcare system.

‘Due to the lack of flights, women’s only option is to undertake an eight-hour ferry journey to England before further onward travel to a clinic,’ the BPAS website states. ‘Effectively, women from Northern Ireland needing abortion services will need to spend around 2 days – including up to 24 hours on public transport – travelling to access care during a pandemic in which every UK citizen is being advised to stay in their homes.’

As a result, BPAS has launched a telemedical abortion service for women in Northern Ireland – the same as those already available to women in England, Wales, Scotland and the Republic of Ireland – to ensure they can receive abortion medication by post.

‘We can no longer stand back and watch this shameful political gameplay with women’s health at a time of national crisis,’ Ann Furedi, Chief Executive of BPAS told Grazia. ‘We will no longer be complicit in Government policy of booking bleeding, vomiting women on interminable ferry journeys, putting their health at serious risk, nor will we abandon women with serious health conditions, when we can ensure they are cared for in the safety of their own home.

‘Working with our phenomenal colleagues from Northern Ireland we will provide a lawful telemedical abortion service to women in need, with access to the same high quality care and support we provide to women in England,’ Furedi continued. ‘We vow we will be here for the women from Northern Ireland for as long as they need us and until their politicians step up and do what’s right.’

Women should call 0300 500 8086 to arrange an appointment. To find about more about the service, click here.