'NHS Abortion Services' downloadable here, is an important report on a survey of Primary Care Trusts showing a ‘postcode lottery’ of abortion service provision across Britain. Published in 2004, this research shows that, despite significant improvements in practice and national guidelines and targets, more than a quarter of Primary Care Trusts still had an unacceptable waiting time of more than three weeks for women requesting abortion.

Despite setting guidelines for quality of service provision, the Department of Health does not collect or publish information on the standards met. This research, conducted by Voice for Choice for the All Party Parliamentary Pro-choice and Sexual Health group, remains the most up to date available on the subject.

The full report provides a summary of the findings of the survey, recommendations for service improvement and full listings of PCT performances across the country. The structure of PCTs has changed since this report was produced with many PCTs merging into larger bodies.

Abortion Rights frequently hears from distressed women who are told they must wait longer than three weeks for an abortion. We are calling upon the government to conduct and publish new research to show whether or not PCTs are now meeting national standards of service provision, and to act to ensure women have equal access to good quality and timely services.