Transforming Abortion Care: Leading the way in South Yorkshire

MSI UK hosted the first face-to-face Abortion Care Task Force at our new South Yorkshire Regional Treatment Centre in Rotherham, in collaboration with the South Yorkshire ICB and hospital providers. All abortion providers and commissioners in South Yorkshire, including senior consultants, clinicians, NHS commissioning quality leads and local government commissioners of Sexual Health services, came together to address local challenges for better client outcomes. 

Access to pro-choice reproductive health services is critical in ensuring clients receive high-quality, non-judgmental support. However, ensuring this care is fully comprehensive, accessible and patient-centric remains a challenge. To address this, MSI UK have worked in collaboration with the South Yorkshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) to develop a dedicated team who are committed to improving abortion services in the region. The Task Force brings together an interdisciplinary team of abortion providers, senior ICB commissioners and Public Health commissioners working to raise the profile of abortion care for professional stakeholders and the public in the region.

The Task Force aims to address potential barriers to advancing health equality and to implement key initiatives to support quality service provisions. It will provide a platform to share experience, address challenges, improve overall client experience and promote clinically-led, evidence-based care.

Key areas of focus include:

Best Practice: Sharing best practice for abortion care, including specialist placements and aligned clinical pathways, to ensure smooth transfers of care between providers, underpinned by local professional consensus.

Shared Care Planning: Enhancing shared care plans between providers to respond to cases of acute service disruption and instances where rising wait times risk limiting access to services. 

Enhanced Training: Facilitating the development of training sessions, workshops, and continuing education opportunities for healthcare providers to enhance their knowledge and skills in abortion care.

Research and Quality Improvement: Facilitating research initiatives and quality improvement projects aimed at advancing the science of abortion care. Evaluating client experiences and service outcomes to identify areas for improvement and provide evidence-based care.

Accessible and Equitable Services: A review of whole system services and the roles and responsibilities of health care professionals such as GPs, contraception services, women’s health services, voluntary and community sector organisations. Local intelligence will be captured and utilised to reduce fragmented care and develop a targeted approach for vulnerable and seldom reached communities. 

The Abortion Care Task Force is a crucial step towards strengthening key stakeholder and clinical partnership working in South Yorkshire. Prioritising the delivery of safe, compassionate care will ultimately improve overall client experience and assist in increasing public confidence, whilst paving the way for wider shared learning.

“Being part of the Abortion Care Task Force is an excellent example of how Independent Abortion providers and all key stakeholders can collaborate to improve client outcomes. This may be the first Abortion Care Task Force, but it is only the start.”

Comments from Abortion Task Force members: 

‘The South Yorkshire Regional Treatment Centre is incredible, and the Abortion Care Task Force was a fantastic opportunity to engage with other senior clinicians at the task force.’ Dr Yvonne Neubauer, Associate Clinical Director at MSI UK

‘Being part of the Abortion Care Task Force is an excellent example of how Independent Abortion providers and all key stakeholders can collaborate to improve client outcomes. This may be the first Abortion Care Task Force, but it is only the start.’ Michele Baxendale-Nichols, Head of Nursing and Midwifery at MSI UK

‘The Task Force provides a great opportunity to embrace the importance of working together across NHS providers and independent sector to provide the best possible care for women.’ Dr Karen Selby, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist and LMNS Clinical Lead at South Yorkshire ICB

‘A very exciting opportunity for collaboration with contracted providers to achieve innovation in the delivery of quality abortion care in South Yorkshire.’  Anna Clack, Programme Lead for Transformation and Delivery at South Yorkshire ICB.

Learn more

If you are looking to access MSI UK services for abortion, contraception or vasectomy in South Yorkshire, you can find more about our services here: