Frank Feighan (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senator for raising this issue, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister for Health. The model of care for the termination of pregnancy service became operational in January 2019, following the enactment and commencement of the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018. Termination up to nine weeks’ gestation is carried out in the community by GPs or doctors working in family planning and women's health clinics, providing clinical supervision and supporting women's self-management. Women with a pregnancy between nine and 12 weeks’ gestation are referred for hospital-based care.

The arrival of Covid-19 in 2020 required a substantial shift in how care is provided across the health service, including the adoption of measures to facilitate social distancing and reduce personal contacts and footfall within medical facilities, as appropriate. As part of the health system response, a temporary revised model of care for the termination of pregnancy service was agreed to facilitate remote consultation with a medical practitioner for the purposes of accessing termination in early pregnancy. The revised model of care stated that face-to-face consultations could be held if clinically necessary but that such consultations should be kept to a minimum. It is recognised that the current public health guidance, including guidance on managing risk of transmission of respiratory viruses including Covid-19 in general practice, continues to apply and advises limiting footfall through the practice by discouraging unnecessary attendance at the practice by people who can be dealt with equally well by telephone.

As wider public health restrictions began to ease in 2021, the Department requested the HSE's national women and infants health programme to undertake a review of the operation of the revised model of care for termination of pregnancy services from a clinical and patient safety perspective. The purpose of the review was to consider whether the revised model of care should be retained going forward. This review was completed and submitted to the Department. Having regard to the experiences during Covid-19 and the review work undertaken, consideration of the model of care is ongoing.