Heading: inserted, on 24 March 2020, by section 8 of the Abortion Legislation Act 2020 (2020 No 6).
(1)
This section applies to a person (A) who is requested by another person (B) to provide, or assist with providing, any of the following services:
contraception services:
sterilisation services:
abortion services:
information or advisory services about whether to continue or terminate a pregnancy.
(2)
If A has a conscientious objection to providing, or to assisting with providing, to B the service requested, A must tell B at the earliest opportunity—
of their conscientious objection; and
how to access the contact details of another person who is the closest provider of the service requested.
(3)
In subsection (2)(b), the closest provider is to be determined taking into account—
the physical distance between the providers; and
the date and time that B makes the request under subsection (1); and
the operating hours of the provider of the service requested.
(4)
This section does not override a health practitioner’s professional and legal duty to provide prompt and appropriate medical assistance to any person in a medical emergency.
Section 14: replaced, on 24 March 2020, by section 8 of the Abortion Legislation Act 2020 (2020 No 6).