GP surgeries could carry out abortions, under new Government plans

The scheme would involve medical terminations, carried out by a nurse under the supervision of a doctor.

Medical abortions are performed with a powerful drug, which triggers a miscarriage.

They can be carried out in the first nine weeks of pregnancy.

The Department of Health has already launched a pilot service - but is keeping the locations secret to avoid disruption from anti-abortion campaigners.

Groups have already condemned the idea for making it too easy to get an abortion.

"Parliament should be concentrating on reducing the scale of abortion in the UK," said Julia Millington of the Pro-Life Alliance.

There are almost 200,000 abortions every year in the UK, of which the vast majority are surgical. Around 25,000 are medical.

At the moment, a woman goes to a hospital or clinic to take a pill, returning 48 hours later for a second tablet. Contractions are followed by a "miscarriage".

If the trials are successful, the service could be rolled out as soon as next year.

The plan was revealed by GPs' magazine Pulse. Deputy editor Richard Hoey said: "There will be concern if the plans don't provide proper provision for specialists.

"GPs aren't specifically trained to deal with potential complications. If this is going to work it needs to be properly funded."

The British Medical Association also questioned whether patients would have access to counselling, after- care, and emergency services in case of complications.

Last night, a Department of Health spokesman said the trials were taking place in two hospitals but in circumstances designed to be like that of a GP surgery.

The 1967 Act allows the Health Secretary to approve other classes of places - apart from hospitals - to perform medical abortions, such as GP surgeries. This power has not yet been used.