A hospital in the US state of Washington is to be sued for not providing enough access to abortion.

In an action brought by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Skagit Regional Health stands accused of allowing doctors to opt out of abortion procedures on conscience grounds thereby reducing the number of terminations actually carried out.

A spokesperson for the Washington State Hospital Association has pointed out that under state law, hospitals cannot force medical staff to go against their consciences in relation to the abortion issue, and further, imposition of the law based on the ACLU’s demand would see hospitals forced to consider ending maternity services altogether to avoid lawsuits.

Citing the state’s Reproductive Privacy Act, the ACLU points out that it is illegal for a hospital to restrict abortions while also requiring any facility offering maternity services to offer an equivalent access to abortion.

Working from the testimony of a former hospital employee, the UCLA reveals that, while Skagit does refer women to an abortion provider, Planned Parenthood never gives abortion drugs to patients and rarely performs abortions. The practice of referring women on, while restricting terminations-in-house, UCLA asserts, breaches abortion rights.

According to Kathleen Taylor, executive director of ACLU Washington: “The problem is that [Skagit] doesn’t promise to provide abortion.”

For its part, Skagit has rejected the ACLU claims and insists it is in compliance with the law while offering medical staff a conscience clause in relation to abortion.