CMF member Tamie Downes is a GP in Cornwall in her mid-30s who was reported recently to the General Medical Council for her approach to counselling patients with crisis pregnancies. She was rapidly exonerated but her case illustrates the tactics of the so-called pro-choice movement:
2 May 2007. Daily Mail publishes One in five GPs wants to ban abortion and features Tamie as GP who made eight women think again.
24 October. Without naming Tamie, Liberal Democrat MP Evan Harris alludes to this story in a Radio 4 Today debate with CMF's Peter Saunders: scroll down on the CCFON media site.
Later that day, as the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee takes oral evidence from Public Health Minister Dawn Primarolo, Harris asks:
Q390 Dr Harris: I want to pursue a little further the point raised…earlier about delays to abortion possibly caused by doctors. Parliament set out the conscientious objection clause in 1967 and the GMC has interpreted that in its guidance and then doctors interpret that in their practice. Now, there are examples of doctors who are conscientious objectors still seeking to give advice to patients perhaps seeking terminations. The Daily Mail on 2 May 2007 quoted Dr Tammy Downs, saying that she is a conscientious objector, she admits that, but she says that many patients who come to see her, determined to have a termination, have been persuaded to think differently. She says that she advised one patient to read Psalm 139 in the Bible, "It is a beautiful psalm which talks about the sanctity of life", in her words. Do you think that more could be done in terms of clarity to reflect the wishes of Parliament that women were not obstructed in access to a balanced consultation and, if necessary, access to abortion as appropriately and as quickly as possible by the personal views of doctors being imposed upon them?
Dawn Primarolo: Well, as I know the Committee absolutely appreciates, the GMC guidelines are quite clear as to what should happen at that point. With regard to specific cases in terms of what other arrangements could be made, I think that would be something that we perhaps would need to raise with the Primary Care Trust in terms of whether they were aware and whether there was a serious delay and, therefore, the GMC guidelines were not being observed, as in the particular case that you have just quoted. Therefore, frankly, I think that I would firstly want to go back to the GMC and seek their advice about whether they feel their guidelines need to be rather more specific or not.
11 November. The Observer runs Anti-abortion GP in ethical storm where Tamie discovers she has been reported to the GMC after a complaint 'believed to be from a practising doctor involved in the pro-choice movement'. She has since learned by contacting the GMC that a complaint was made on 8 November and the case was closed on 12 November.
Tamie had earlier written to the many friends who had supported her: 'I have felt incredibly well supported by the encouraging words and prayers of so many friends, colleagues and strangers. Thank you for taking the time to email me, it made a real difference!'
She now writes: 'Feel free to make a comment on the website. I am quite happy not to lie too low any longer. I am so grateful for all the support and prayers of everyone. I hope it has made the public think again about the issue and the hypocrisy of the pro 'choice' group!'
