A pro-life charity has called for Marie Stopes’s abortion services to be suspended after a highly critical report into its standard of care. Last year the Care Quality Commission (CQC) found that staff at Marie Stopes clinics had been inadequately trained. Following an unannounced visit in February, the CQC found there were still problems, including surgeons failing to wash their hands between operations and no reliable checks to confirm nurses were competent. The report, written by Sir Mike Richards, the chief inspector of hospitals, found that 11 women had to be transferred to hospitals after their abortions over two months. Nearly 400 abortions in January and February, meanwhile, were said to have failed in some way, meaning patients had to have further treatment. Dr Ruth Cullen, of the Pro-Life Campaign, said: “People on all sides of the abortion debate should be calling for the urgent suspension of all abortion services at Marie Stopes clinics following this latest damning report. “I have to ask, where is all the outrage from pro-choice women’s groups about these latest revelations? “Pro-choice groups have always been in denial about what happens to unborn babies in Marie Stopes-run clinics but sadly it can now also be said they are in denial about the appalling treatment of women in these same clinics.” Dr Cullen added: “Pro-choice groups are totally preoccupied at present with attacking Ireland’s life-saving 8th Amendment, which protects pregnant women and their unborn babies. It’s time these campaigners acknowledged where the real threat to ... life is coming from.”