Not uncommon. In Canada, the Ontario College of Physicians and Surgeons is currently debating a policy change that would force Ontario Doctors to refer patients for Abortion, Birth Control, Sterilization, and any other health care no-nos. It would even force them to perform those procedures in “emergency situations”.
This tends to be bad for everyone. I can’t speak for the situation in the UK, but in Canada there are few conscientious objectors and as far as I know they have not affected the ability of patients to receive health care that they object to. At worst, they have imposed a mild inconvenience.
On the other hand, patients who are routinely forced to violate their conscience experience higher rates of burn out and suicide. They tend to be more susceptible to other forms of conscience violation (what’s a little kick-back from big pharma when you’ve participated in murder). It diminishes the pool of physicians by excluding some highly competent and compassionate individuals who have serious objections to some procedures. Bringing this to its logical conclusion, it may also impact a physician’s ability to advise against against procedures that are not medically necessary or may be harmful to the patient.
So… no one wins when conscience gets squashed.
