Printed from: https://www.cmf.org.uk/news/?id=142
CMF member Sheila Matthews is a community paediatrician with 18 years' experience and has been a medical advisor to the Northamptonshire County Council Adoption Panel for five years. She has now been removed from that panel after asking if she could abstain from voting when, rarely, she would be asked to recommend children for adoption by same-sex couples.
CMF has been supporting Sheila since the beginning, and referred her to the Christian Legal Centre for advice. After deliberation, and with no constructive response from the Council, Sheila and CLC decided to go public and the story was prominent in the Sunday Telegraph on 19 July. On 20 July the Daily Mail commented. Readers' responses ranged from ones supporting her completely to the abusive. The gay press gave it balanced coverage.
Please pray for Sheila, for a just outcome, and for her family at this stressful time.
On 26 July the Daily Telegraph reported that Dr Matthews has been partially reinstated, to resume preparing reports for adoption panels. Discussions continue. Thank you for your support and please keep praying
Steven Fouch (CMF Head of Communications) 020 7234 9668
Alistair Thompson on 07970 162 225
Christian Medical Fellowship (CMF) was founded in 1949 and is an interdenominational organisation with over 5,000 doctors, 900medical and nursing students and 300 nurses and midwives as members in all branches of medicine, nursing and midwifery. A registered charity, it is linked to over 100 similar bodies in other countries throughout the world.
CMF exists to unite Christian healthcare professionals to pursue the highest ethical standards in Christian and professional life and to increase faith in Christ and acceptance of his ethical teaching.
