Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that doctors do not falsify abortion consent forms.

The principle of consent is an important part of medical ethics and international human rights law. Consent from a patient is required for all medical procedures, including abortion. In line with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines on Abortion Care, informed consent should be obtained and documented. Healthcare professionals should ensure that women have the information they need to make decisions and to give consent in line with General Medical Council guidance and the 2015 Montgomery ruling which made clear that any intervention must be based on a shared decision-making process, ensuring the patient is aware of all options and supported to make an informed choice by their healthcare professional. Any doctor suspected or found to have falsified a consent form should expect to be subject to disciplinary and regulatory action. The guidance is available at the following link:

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng140/chapter/Recommendations