DUNDEE, Scotland (Alliance Defending Freedom) — A midwifery student and mother of three resident in Scotland but from the U.S. was suspended from her training placement with NHS Fife over comments on a private Facebook forum explaining her conscientious objection to performing abortions.
Sara Spencer, 30, was suspended and subjected to a fitness-to-practice investigation as a result of comments made on a private midwifery Facebook group in which she responded to a post asking: “Do midwives have anything to do with abortions, and can they refuse to take part in carrying them out because of their beliefs?”
Commenting on her treatment, Sara Spencer said:
It’s well-known that medical professionals in the U.K. have a right to conscientiously object to performing an abortion.
As a student, I expected to be able to freely engage in discussion among my peers about the grounds for my conscientious objection, and to respectfully debate matters of medical law, ethics, and the philosophy of midwifery care – matters which lie at the heart of our profession.
I was shocked by NHS Fife’s response to my expression of legally protected beliefs. It is concerning that an NHS health board would be reluctant to welcome a student who holds certain beliefs regarding the significance of unborn human life.
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Vance raises concerns over UK impinging on free speech of American citizens
During Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s visit to the White House on Thursday, Vice President JD Vance highlighted concerns about “infringements on freedom of speech” in the U.K., “which also affect American technology companies and by extension, American citizens.”
The prime minister responded, “we’ve had free speech for a very, very long time in the United Kingdom, and it will last for a very, very long time.”
Keir Starmer assured U.S. Vice President JD Vance that “certainly we wouldn’t want to reach across U.S. citizens, and we don’t, and that’s absolutely right.”
A right to engage in discussion
Spencer contributed to a Facebook discussion by noting that there was “a right to refuse to take part [and the] law protects [individuals’] statutory right of conscientious objection” and that she would always personally object to participating in “killing” an unborn child.
As a result of complaints about her comments, Spencer was summoned to a meeting with her line manager at NHS Fife, who subsequently turned the matter over to Edinburgh Napier University, which initiated a Fitness to Practise investigation for a) bringing the profession or the University into disrepute; b) conducting herself in a manner “detrimental to the safety, dignity, and wellbeing and personal and/or professional reputation of others”; c) misusing social media; and d) conducting herself in a manner falling below the expectations of the student’s relevant Professional Code.
Against the recommendation of the Fitness to Practise officer handling Spencer’s case, NHS Fife suspended Spencer’s placement for the duration of the investigation.
“Sara’s career has been negatively impacted by a cultural prejudice against people with pro-life opinions – present both at her university, and in her workplace,” said Jeremiah Igunnubole, legal counsel for ADF UK, who supported Spencer, adding:
It’s clear that, while committed to a number of diversity policies, universities across the country have struggled to uphold true diversity of thought – punishing students who peacefully express their own ideas. Sara’s story points to a need for legislation which reaffirms freedom of speech in these learning environments, if the reputational standards of Scottish universities are to remain intact.
With legal support from ADF UK, Sara was subsequently cleared of all allegations, with the university finding “no case to answer.” NHS Fife strongly objected to this outcome, but changed its position following correspondence from the university.
Freedom of conscience examined by ScotGov abortion law review
Lois McLatchie Miller, Scottish spokesperson for ADF UK, commented:
It should be considered entirely natural and expected that a midwife, focused on delivering life into the world, may have concerns about abortion. It’s for this reason that our laws protect freedom of conscience for all medical professionals, who should never be compelled to act in a way they consider harmful.
The Scottish government are currently undertaking a review of our nation’s abortion law, including with regard to conscientious objection, led by a panel of “experts” – many of whom have had a career within or around the abortion industry. Sara’s experience should sound an alarm bell about the need to reaffirm freedom of conscience across all public health boards.
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Despite being cleared of any wrongdoing, Spencer’s professors at Edinburgh Napier University have continued to issue warnings to her about her social media use, referring to Spencer’s comments regarding her pro-life beliefs as “inappropriate.”
With support from ADF UK, Spencer is now seeking acknowledgement of the rights to both conscientious objection and freedom of expression of protected beliefs from NHS Fife, as well as assurances that they will not discriminate against those students and professionals who express pro-life views in the future.
Reprinted with permission from the Alliance Defending Freedom.
