Select Page

UK’s oldest abortion clinic closes after performing abortions for 50 years and litany of serious safety issues

One of the UK’s largest abortion clinics has closed its doors following a litany of safety issues that put women at serious risk, spanning decades.

The notorious Marie Stopes International Birmingham (previously the Calthorpe Clinic) in Edgbaston performed 6,153 abortions in 2018 making it the fourth largest abortion centre in the UK.

Originally run as an old people’s home, in 1969 the centre became the first in the UK to exist exclusively carry out abortions and has performed terminations for 50 years.

The abortion centre has a chequered history, having made the news on more than one occasion.

In 2000, Dr Andrew Gbinigie caused serious injuries to a young woman seeking an abortion at the clinic. Whilst performing the procedure on the 21-year-old, the doctor pulled out the patient’s ovary and part of her bowel.

It was only after he pulled out a piece of her bowel that he realised something was wrong and called for help from senior staff.

Eventually, an ambulance was called to transfer the patient to Birmingham Women’s Hospital, where her life was narrowly saved by three consultants, but at the cost of a kidney.

Dr Gbinigie escaped being struck off the medical register despite a further 35 women revealing the suffering they faced at his hands.

In 2006, a nurse failed to check a client’s personal details and consequently gave a chemical abortion to the wrong woman.

More evidence of poor conduct came to light in 2012 when Dr Palaniappan Rajmohan was caught on camera by undercover journalists offering to carry out sex-selective abortions.

The doctor himself admitted that this amounted to sex-selective abortion, saying to the woman: “That’s not fair. It’s like female infanticide isn’t it?”

He then agreed to offer the abortion, documenting in records that it was because the girl was “too young for pregnancy”, so as to avoid legal problems.

Later that same year, a routine inspection at the clinic found doctors were pre-signing abortion forms which certified that women could have their pregnancies terminated.

That same year the centre changed hands and became a Marie Stopes International clinic but the problems hadn’t ended.

In 2016 MSI Birmingham along with other MSI centres around the country had some of their ‘services’ suspended due to procedural and safety concerns raised by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

These included concerns that the right protocols weren’t in place to ensure girls under the age of 18 were able to give informed consent to their abortion, as well as concerns relating to all surgical abortions after 12 weeks.

More recent inspections revealed that between March 2018 and Feb 2019 there were 18 incidents where patients had to be transferred from the location to an NHS hospital. Volunteers offering pro-life help outside the clinic told March for Life UK it was not uncommon to see 2 or 3 ambulances lined up outside the building.

Rachel Mackenzie, a former patient of the abortion facility, rejoiced at the news, saying: “I am so relieved that no more children will have their lives ended here as my son once did.”

She now runs ‘Rachel’s Vineyard‘, a program to help people find healing after involvement in an abortion.

Linda Hope, another pro-life campaigner who had an abortion at the clinic, said she regretted her decision to have an abortion at the centre: “I want other women to know there’s a better option than that pain.”

Pro-life vigils offering practical support to women have been taking place outside the clinic for a number of years, with 40 Days For Life running a major vigil twice-yearly outside the clinic over the last eight years.

The group have outlined testimonies from a large number of women who have changed their minds and not proceeded with an abortion after meeting the vigils and being aware of the support available. 

40 Days For Life campaign directors, Isabel Vaughan-Spruce, told March for Life UK the story of a woman who approached the volunteers running the vigil outside the abortion centre and described the positive impact that the vigil had for her family:

“For a long time I’ve been meaning to come this way to say thank you. My daughter came here 3 years ago to have an abortion but changed her mind after seeing you. She never told anyone on the day why she left but I want to say thank you because without you my grandchild wouldn’t be here.”

Critical appealto protect vulnerable lives

Help stop three major anti-life threats.

The Leadbeater assisted suicide Bill can still be defeated at Third Reading, but only with your help.

Dear reader,

As you already likely know, the Leadbeater assisted suicide Bill sadly passed Second Reading at the end of last month.

While it is very disappointing that the Bill passed Second Reading, an analysis published in The Independent shows that at least 36 MPs who supported the Bill did so only to allow further debate or because they had concerns that meant they won’t commit to supporting the Bill at Third Reading. Since then, our Public Affairs team has identified a number of other MPs who share these reservations.

With the vote passing by a margin of 55, just 28 MPs switching their stance to oppose the Bill would ensure it is defeated at Third Reading, so there is a clear path towards this Bill being defeated. We can still win this.

The assisted suicide lobby are fully aware that support for the Bill is very fragile. They will fight fiercely to prevent 28 MPs from switching their votes to oppose the Bill.

For the sake of the hundreds of thousands of vulnerable lives that will be put at risk, we must win the vote and defeat this dangerous Bill.

WE NEED YOUR HELP

Our campaign in the run-up to Second Reading was the biggest and most expensive we have ever run and so it has made a significant dent in our limited financial resources.

We are now working on an even bigger campaign to defeat this dangerous Bill at Third Reading.

To ensure we effectively defeat this extreme assisted suicide Bill, we are aiming to raise at least £100,000 by midnight this Sunday (15 December 2024).

Every donation, no matter the size, will mean YOU can make a crucial difference in saving vulnerable lives from this extreme law change.

Will you make a donation now to help protect vulnerable lives from this major threat?

Critical appealto protect vulnerable lives

Help stop three major anti-life threats.

The Leadbeater assisted suicide Bill can still be defeated at Third Reading, but only with your help.