Nearly 80 Glasgow consultants have signed a letter demanding action over anti-abortion protests outside the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.
The protests have been described as 'emotional harassment' and causing further trauma to those seeking medical treatment in a letter addressed to Women's Health Minister, Maree Todd MSP.
It comes after 100 pro-life campaigners lined a street facing directly onto the Maternity Unit as part of a '40-days of vigils'.
The group of 76 medical professionals has called on Ms Todd to 'show courage' and introduce protest-free 'buffer zones' across all clinics providing abortions in Scotland.
Campaigners have said that the protests are 'escalating' with a lack of action from the government 'emboldening' those attending the rallies.
While anti-choice protests are typically aimed at women accessing abortion services, the letter highlights the effects that the protests are having on medical staff and their patients, calling the imitation and harassment 'deplorable'.
Student-run campaign, Back Off Scotland, has been calling for the implementation of 150-metre buffer zones since October 2020.
Following commitments in the SNP manifesto, the Scottish Government’s Women’s Health Plan, and the Programme for Government 2021/22, the group have criticised the Women’s Health Minister for her inaction on the matter and have recently called for her to resign.
Last year, a Scottish Humanist poll showed that 82% of Scots want to end this type of targeted harassment outside abortion clinics, and a Member’s Debate in the Scottish Parliament led by Gillian Mackay MSP highlighted that cross-party support exists within Holyrood.
In November, Ms Todd made further commitments to find an interim solution to stop women from being harassed and intimidated when accessing care, however, there has been no intervention made.
Commenting, lead signatory and Consultant Paediatric Radiologist, Dr Greg Irwin, said: “We, as Consultants in the Children’s and the Maternity Hospitals, are seriously concerned about the anti-abortion protests occurring outside the QEUH. We know first-hand how distressing this harassment is for our patients, which makes it infuriating for us as clinical staff to have to pass these groups day-in-day-out.
“The protesters on Hardgate Road are as close as they can get to the maternity unit, meaning that our patients in the wards can see and hear them. These women may well be feeling vulnerable and upset. They should not have to put up with judgement or intimidation outside our hospital. How can we offer our patients the standard of care and support they deserve in this situation? Implementing buffer zones is essential to deal with this problem, both in Glasgow and throughout Scotland.
“We ask the Scottish Government, and the Women’s Health Minister particularly, to take action immediately to move these protestors away from our hospital doors. We have been watching our patients get bullied for far too long now. The women of Glasgow, the women of Scotland deserve better than this.”
Dr Audrey Brown, a Consultant in Sexual and Reproductive, added: "For people accessing abortion care, and the staff providing it, the presence of anti-choice activists at the entrance to clinics and hospitals is distressing and is a form of emotional harassment. The language and images used on some placards is upsetting and offensive, not just to those accessing abortion care, but also to those who have experienced pregnancy loss in the past.
“These anti-choice protestors will further traumatise those who may be making a difficult decision, perhaps on a background of rape, gender-based violence, or medical grounds. Whilst abortion care providers recognise the right to protest, this should not be at clinical sites, where individual patients and staff are harassed and intimidated."
Lucy Grieve, Co-founder and Director of Back Off Scotland commented: “This letter is a powerful reminder of just how many people anti-choice protests affect. Back Off Scotland is so grateful to these consultants for using their voices and standing up for Scottish women in a time where the Scottish Government is not.
“Not only do 70% of Scottish women live in areas where local clinics and hospitals have been targeted by anti-choice protests in recent years, we’ve heard numerous stories about the lasting impact that exposure to these protests has for patients. This is causing untold levels of harm across the board.
“The Women’s Health Minister’s lack of action over this matter calls into question her suitability to handle the women’s health portfolio. She needs to take swift action to introduce universal buffer zones around clinics to protect those accessing these services now.”
