Board of Health,

Women who choose to have abortions should be guaranteed an environment that meets basic health and safety standards, with trained staff and clean facilities.In recent announced inspections widespread health and safety violations including blood splattered exam tables and equipment, unsterilized needles, incomplete lifesaving equipment, violations of Virginia parental consent laws, an absence of reporting of possible cases of child abuse have been found. Any one of these is appalling. Together they show a pattern of neglect of basic patient care.The abortion industry claims to be safe, but 300 health and safety violations prove otherwise. Self policing is not working and I urge the VA Board of Health to follow through on legislation that will make these facilities safer for women. Basic, reasonable, common sense. Kim Sandum