A midwifery student has spoken of her “shock” at being suspended and subjected to a fitness-to-practise investigation by a Scottish health board over her objection to abortion.
Sara Spencer, 30, a US citizen and Edinburgh Napier University midwifery student, raised an objection to performing abortions in a Facebook comment in a private group, which prompted NHS Fife to suspend her student placement.
Ms Spencer responded to a post in a private midwifery Facebook group, which asked: “Do midwives have anything to do with abortions, and can they refuse to take part in carrying them out because of their beliefs?”
She responded by saying that there was “a right to refuse to take part [and the] law protects [individuals’] statutory right of conscientious objection” and that she would always personally object to participating in “killing” an unborn baby.
The mother of three, due to complaints about her comments, was then summoned to a meeting with her line manager at NHS Fife. The matter was subsequently turned over to Edinburgh Napier University, which initiated a Fitness to Practise investigation for firstly, bringing the profession or the University into disrepute, and secondly, conducting herself in a manner “detrimental to the safety, dignity, and wellbeing and personal and/or professional reputation of others”. She was also accused of misusing social media and conducting herself in a manner falling below the expectations of the student’s relevant Professional Code.
Commenting on her treatment, Ms Spencer, who is being represented by Alliance Defending Freedom UK, said:
“It’s well-known that medical professionals in the UK have a right to conscientiously object to performing an abortion.
“As a student, I expected to be able to freely engage in discussion among my peers about the grounds for my conscientious objection, and to respectfully debate matters of medical law, ethics, and the philosophy of midwifery care – matters which lie at the heart of our profession.
“I was shocked by NHS Fife’s response to my expression of legally protected beliefs. It is concerning that an NHS health board would be reluctant to welcome a student who holds certain beliefs regarding the significance of unborn human life.”
It comes after US Vice President, JD Vance, criticised the UK for its approach to free speech. Vance raised concerns that the UK was infringing on the rights of American citizens to express themselves during Keir Starmer’s visit to the White House a fortnight ago.
Vance referred to “infringements on freedom of speech” in the UK, “…which also affect American technology companies and by extension, American citizens.”
In response, Keir Starmer hit back with the claim: “We’ve had free speech for a very, very long time in the United Kingdom, and it will last for a very, very long time.”
The Prime Minister went on to assure Vance that “certainly we wouldn’t want to reach across U.S. citizens, and we don’t, and that’s absolutely right.”
Speaking about NHS Fife’s decision to suspend Ms Spencer’s placement for the duration of the fitness to practise investigation, Jeremiah Igunnubole, Legal Counsel for ADF UK, commented:
”Sara’s career has been negatively impacted by a cultural prejudice against people with pro-life opinions – present both at her university, and in her workplace.
”It’s clear that, while committed to a number of diversity policies, universities across the country have struggled to uphold true diversity of thought – punishing students who peacefully express their own ideas. Sara’s story points to a need for legislation which reaffirms freedom of speech in these learning environments, if the reputational standards of Scottish universities are to remain intact.”