Specialist tells of abortion resentment

Press, 25 August 1983, Page 8

Specialist tells of abortion resentment

The abortion service at Christchurch Women’s Hospital could break down because of staff resentment at performing abortions, said a specialist, Mr K. D. Drayton.

He was commenting on the report of a meeting between Health Department officials and the North Canterbury Hospital Board last March. The department was warned that hospital services were in danger of breaking down because of the growing number of abortions performed there. Mr Drayton, chairman of the board’s obstetric and gynaecology services, said that that was not the case. “The abortion services could break down of course because a limited number of surgeons are prepared to do them,” he said. One surgeon performed about 90 per cent of the abortions. Staff did not feel that providing an abortion service was their proper role at Christchurch Women’s Hospital. “Most of the regular staff have done more than their share and are not prepared to do any more,” said Mr Drayton. Gynaecologists performing abortions at the hospital said in March that the situation was a “political volcano.” The meeting was told that there had been threats against staff and fire-bombs hurled into the hospital gardens during the time that abortions had been performed there.

The department’s deputy director of hospitals, Dr M. W. Guthrie, said in her record of the meeting that “all now agree the problem is divisive within the hospital and must be removed before the hospital is destroyed.” , The Hospital Board is still pushing for the Government to set a priority for shifting the abortion service to a converted house in the grounds of Coronation Hospital, Cashmere. It argues that it is the Government’s responsibility to provide funds for the shift because legislation required the board to provide the service.

The medical superintendent of Christchurch

Women’s Hospital, Mr Hamish McCrostie, said that there had been . incidents about the clinic in the years since the Contraception, Sterilisation, and Abortion Act was introduced in 1977.

“Things have been a lot quieter in the last year or two,” he said. “It has tended to smoulder rather than burst into flames.” Mr McCrostie said that he thought pro-abortionists were satisfied that women were now getting abortions. Their only demand now was for a free-standing clinic.

The real strain involved in performing abortions was on staff. Almost all the consultants had trained with the idea of preserving life and many nurses had the same attitude.

“It is very soul-destroying for a nurse who does not like doing abortions and is working in the theatre which may see 12 in an afternoon,” he said. The Hospital Board’s chairman, Mr T. C. Grigg, said that incidents such as the fire-bombs had been public knowledge at the time, two or three years ago. There were still strong feelings about abortions done at Christchurch Women’s Hospital, particularly among the Catholic Church. “But there has been nothing I would say for a year or even a little longer. The situation at the moment really is the concern of staff about having to have those procedures carried out in close proximity to the traditional women’s services at the hospital,” said Mr Grigg. The feeling was echoed at yesterday’s board meeting. Mr C. F. Whitty said that although he believed most board members opposed abortion, it was important to resite the clinic at Coronation Hospital.

“I do not believe it should be on a site where babies are born,” he said.

Mr Grigg said that fewer abortions might be performed if the move took place. More counselling services were planned along with a free-standing clinic.

That could help to reduce rather than increase the numbers, he said.