LISTEN: Women seeking abortion subjected to 'postcode lottery' in Northern Ireland

By Q Radio News

It's one year on since abortion was decriminalised in Northern Ireland and 10 out of 26 council areas here, don't offer the procedure.

Despite the change in law, a third of the region remains without early medical termination services after the Northern Trust was recently forced to close its service.

Women living in areas, including Antrim, Ballymena, and Magherafelt were expected to be transferred to other trusts however that didn't happen due to a lack of capacity. 

Grainne Teggart from Amnesty International is calling on the health minister Robin Swann to step up and help protect vulnerable women in need. 

She says the added pressure of the Covid-19 outbreak has left the trusts struggling to cope.

Campaigners have accused Mr Swann of failing women by leaving them in a "vulnerable and dangerous position". 

Emma Campbell from Alliance for Choice also says action needs to be taken to provide telemedicine in Northern Ireland. 

The Department of Health said it had legal advice that it was "not required to commission the relevant services, however registered medical professionals in Northern Ireland may now terminate pregnancies lawfully".

"The regulations require such terminations to be carried out on health and social care premises," a spokesperson said.

They added decisions "remain to be taken" on the commissioning of abortion services in the health service and will be subject to a public consultation.

The department said it would "clearly be a matter for the executive and assembly" as well as the department.