In 2021 charity Birthrights.org instructed leading barrister Shu Shin Luh at Doughty Street Chambers, London. She is described as “a force of nature”. Her practice has a strong human rights, civil liberties, and anti-discrimination focus. On 21 January 2021 Shu Shin Luh advised on the legal position concerning the recording or streaming of the ultrasound examination at antenatal scan appointments.
This 17 page advice document is truly enlightening. Whilst it is written in the context of the pandemic and also addresses partner exclusion at scans during this time, much of this content is directly applicable to the trusts that are now not retaining fetal cardiac views whilst also not permitting patients to record themselves.
We’ve approached Shu Shin Luh with our petition. We’ll bring you a more detailed update on the wider issues around patients securing their own views in due course. We’ve been reading lots of trust polices and all the commentary from NHSE, BMA, NICE, GMC, ScoR and BMUS. Then we found Shu Shin Luh’s advice which articulates all this superbly.
The following publication is essential reading;
https://birthrights.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/210114-Birthrights.Advice-filming-at-scans.pdf