Safe Access Zones

Safe Access Zones have been introduced across all Health and Social Care Trusts providing abortion services.

The Zones have been established under NI Assembly legislation to protect women and girls and those persons accompanying them accessing abortion services, information, advice and counselling, and protect staff working at these locations.

It will be illegal for them to be impeded, recorded, influenced or to be caused harassment, alarm or distress within the Zones.

The Safe Access Zones are in force at ‘protected premises’ where these services are provided and in public spaces of between 100m and 250m from entrances or exits of the premises.

Safe Access Zone at Causeway Hospital

In the Northern Trust area, the Safe Access Zone protected premises are at Causeway Hospital, Coleraine.

Information is displayed at the premises and published on the Department of Health and Northern Trust websites.

The Zone is clearly marked with signage. The public signage highlights the legal requirements at each Zone.  The Zones only apply to the strictly designated public space areas. They do not apply to private properties.

The legislation enabling their establishment is the Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) Act (Northern Ireland) 2023:

Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) Act (Northern Ireland) 2023 legislation.gov.uk

Safe Access Zone Map

The Causeway Hospital Safe Access Zone map is available to download in PDF.  We have also provided a visual below.

If you have concerns regarding a breach of the Safe Access Zone boundary at Causeway Hospital, please advise a member of staff or contact the PSNI by calling 101.

Causeway Hospital Safe Access Zone Map (PDF)
Causeway Hospital Safe Access Zone Map showing signage locations (PDF)

Further Information including FAQs

Department of Health: Safe Access Zones
Abortion Services | nidirect