Christian Midwife Student Suspended over Expressing Conscientious Objections
Sara Spencer, a Christian midwifery student in Scotland, has been suspended from her National Health Service placement for comments she made on a private Facebook forum explaining her conscientious objection to performing abortions. Despite being cleared of any wrongdoing, Spencer's professors at Edinburgh Napier University have continued to warn her against expressing "inappropriate" pro-life views.
The US citizen, mother of three and current Scottish resident, was suspended and subjected to a fitness-to-practise investigation after replying 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?” on a private Facebook group for midwives.
In her comment, Spencer replied that there is “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 take part in abortions because she believed that the fetus was a child and that killing children was wrong.
Following complaints about her comments, Spencer was called into a meeting with her line manager at NHS Fife, who then referred the matter to Edinburgh Napier University, which launched a fitness to practise investigation.
According to NHS Fife, Spencer's comments were likely to bring the profession or the university into disrepute. The manager also argued that she had behaved in a way that was "detrimental to the safety, dignity and welfare and personal and/or professional reputation of others" and had "misused social media".
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.
Commenting on her treatment, Sara Spencer said: "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."
In an interview with The Mail on Sunday she also said: "I do not think that NHS Fife is a safe place to work for people with protected beliefs. There was a sense that by saying my beliefs I had been bad. I broke a rule and I was being punished for it and it felt so isolating, so punitive."
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.
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”.
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.
Sources: ADF International, BBC, Daily Mail
Image: Sara Spencer (photo by Marion McKinnon Photography, via ADF International)