Provision of induced abortion in Wessex Health Region: unmet need and feasibility of compensatory day care.

A study of routinely collected data showed that in 1975 only 42% of Wessex abortion patients obtained a National Health Service operation in their own region. Within this average the range for own district National Health Service operations was from 8.7% (Central Hampshire) to 68% (South West Hampshire) when known paybed operations had been excluded. Most of the remaining patients obtained private operations outside the region and of these about 50% obtained an operation at the British Pregnancy Advisory Service Clinic (BPAS) at Brighton.A survey of Wessex women obtaining induced abortions at BPAS, Brighton, found that 85% of a sample of patients interviewed would have been willing to have a National Health Service operation locally but it had not been available. Only 24% of these women had been referred by way of a formal and accepted path, and had obtained their operation before ten weeks gestation, a suggested maximum for day-care provision.It this proportion is representative of Wessex patients obtaining operations outside the region, the numbers of patients involved in 1975 would have been 643 and the feasibility of a day surgical unit specially providing for this number would be questionable.It is suggested that by reducing delays in the referral process and accepting patients by nontraditional referral paths at least a further 21% of the patients would have qualified for day care. On the basis of this estimate a Regional Day Abortion Unit is probably a practicable proposition.