Dr. Margaret O'Riordan:

In response to Deputy Billy Kelleher's questions, the Medical Council guidelines are very clear in regard to conscientious objection. A general practitioner would have to inform a patient if he or she had a conscientious objection.

In regard to the follow-up of patients, the Deputy has hit on a very important point.

Sometimes in these circumstances we forget the long-term consequences. In the immediate aftermath of an event there is much focus on and a need for follow-up in a hospital scenario, and in the long term there is a need for a general practitioner. It would commonly be found by GPs, for example, that a woman who has suffered a miscarriage feels an impact on the date she was expecting to have the baby. It is then that she needs support, as much as she needs such support immediately after the event. We must first and foremost respect a patient's autonomy, and patients have the right to choose a general practitioner. That goes without saying. In the second instance we must focus on support for women in the long term after these events.