Edinburgh Napier student midwife suspended after sharing pro-life posts on social media

An Edinburgh Napier student midwife was suspended after sharing her anti-abortion views on social media. 

Sara Spencer, 30, was put on special leave from her NHS Fife placement after responding to a question on a private social media group about whether midwives might opt out of providing abortions. 

In one comment, she wrote: “Given that my moral beliefs include a foetus is a child and it is wrong to kill children, there is no circumstance in which I would not object to abortion.”

She later participated in a fitness to practice investigation and was cleared of expressing her personal beliefs inappropriately.

The mother of three had joined a private social media group for midwives and trainees in which she responded to a question about midwives opting out of termination procedures. Sara posted that she was anti-abortion, alongside the official guidance on conscientious objection.

Edinburgh Napier placed Spencer on special leave from her community placement with NHS Fife, after which a fitness to practice investigation found she had no case to answer. She returned to her studies in July, where she completed a hospital placement and said she was “welcomed by staff.”

Abortion has been legal under certain conditions in the UK since the 1967 Abortion Act. Since its passage, the act has been unsuccessfully challenged several times by various pro-life organisations. Currently, the NHS offers free abortions to those who meet the criteria, however conscientious objectors are not legally obliged to perform them.

Speaking about her comments, Sara told BBC Scotland News: “I knew I was engaging in a very emotive topic but I don’t think I was quite prepared to be pulled aside at work by my line manager a week later.”

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She was later cleared of expressing her beliefs inappropriately following a fitness to practice investigation, during which she feared her “career was over before it had even begun”. 

Sara has since called for health boards to be more conscious of freedom of speech rights. NHS Fife later said the matter was being handled by Edinburgh Napier University. 

Regarding her special leave, the student said: “I felt like it brought back memories of being bullied and ostracised in grammar school,” 

“Just three months into my training I felt like I was being told you’re not welcome.”

Currently on maternity leave, Spencer hopes to return to her midwifery studies next year.

An Edinburgh Napier University spokesperson said: “We are unable to comment on individual student circumstances.

“All midwifery students are expected to abide by the code of practice set out by the Nursing and Midwifery Council.”

NHS Fife told The Edinburgh Tab that the conduct of students on placement is a matter for their university.

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