Leah Spasova, a psychologist from Oxfordshire, has won a landmark case with the U.K. health ombudsman after a 10-year battle to obtain sterilization through the National Health Service (NHS).
The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) determined that a local health body, the Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, and Berkshire West Integrated Care Board (ICB), engaged in discriminatory practices by denying funding for female sterilization while routinely funding vasectomies for men.
The investigation revealed that Spasova’s request was denied based on concerns regarding potential “regret” and cost, factors that were not applied to men seeking permanent contraception in the same region.
The ombudsman found the ICB’s approach to be unfair and inconsistent, noting that it failed to respect the principle of patient autonomy. Spasova criticized the policy for taking “liability for her feelings” rather than respecting her medical decisions.
Experienced broadcast journalist with over 5 years of experience in reporting, multimedia editing, and storytelling across both traditional and digital media. I currently work with Vision FM 92.1 and Daily Frontier, where I report on security, conflict, and humanitarian issues, while also translating news into Hausa and Pidgin to reach wider audiences.
I also serve as a correspondent for Daily Frontier in Plateau and Benue States, Nigeria, covering security, conflict, and humanitarian developments in the region.
I hold a Diploma in Mass Communication from Adamawa State Polytechnic and a Bachelor’s degree in Mass Communication from the National Open University of Nigeria.
