Who can refer a woman for an abortion?
Two doctors must approve a woman’s decision to end her pregnancy. A woman can usually obtain the first approval (otherwise known as a ‘referral’) from a doctor at a family planning or young person’s clinic like Brook. Most GPs will also refer for abortion. The second approval is normally given by the doctor at the clinic performing the abortion. If a woman does not want to access an abortion through the National Health Service, she can choose to contact an independent abortion clinic (such as BPAS or Marie Stopes) herself. Two doctors at the independent clinic can then give the approval necessary for the abortion to take place. Please note that some doctors will not refer women for abortion because they hold moral or religious objections to it. Where this is the case, the doctor should always make alternative arrangements for the woman to be seen by another doctor. To avoid any delays or confusion it is worth calling ahead to check that doctors at any particular clinic can and do refer
