BPAS’s history is deeply rooted in the West Midlands of England. In fact, when we were founded in 1968, following the introduction of the Abortion Act, we were known as The Birmingham Pregnancy Advisory Service, a reflection of both our origins and our unwavering commitment to ensuring local women could access safe, legal abortion care.
From the very beginning, we have stood alongside the communities of the West Midlands, not only providing essential services but advocating for women’s rights and standing as a voice when too often no one else would.
Our head office was originally based in Birmingham, and in 1971 we became the British Pregnancy Advisory Service, reflecting our growth into a national abortion care provider. Clinics soon operated in Birmingham, Central Brighton, Leamington Spa and Cardiff, marking the start of significant expansion beyond our founding city.
Today, BPAS operates 44 clinics across the Great Britain. Yet despite our national reach and our continued evolution, our connection to the West Midlands remains fundamental to who we are. It is where we began and where we continue to provide treatment, advice, support and unwavering advocacy for those who need us.
The origins of our Booking Information Centre (BIC)
Did you know, our Booking Information Centre, or BIC, started with humble beginnings right in the heart of the West Midlands?
Originally called ‘Action Line’, our first contact hub was a converted three-bedroom flat in Edgbaston in southwest Birmingham. From this modest space, a small but dedicated team handled patient calls on cordless phones, recording details in a paper register, often racing around the room to locate the correct file, before sending the information off to clinics to secure their own appointments.
With just 11 workstations, the Edgbaston hub worked tirelessly to manage services across the West Midlands. Phones would ring aloud across the room, with staff needing to accept at their workstation to answer each incoming call.
It wasn’t until 1996 that the BIC transitioned to a computerised system, in1998, the team moved into a larger, purpose-built office space and in 2008 adopted the name we know today: Booking Information Centre (BIC). From its modest origins to the busy and essential service it provides today, the BIC has been at the heart of supporting patients across the West Midlands for decades.
BPAS clinic locations in the late 90's
Our former 'Action Line' in Edgbaston can be seen, located right in heart of Birmingham.
BPAS in the West Midlands today
Today, BPAS operates 10 clinics across the West Midlands and, between 2025 and 2026, treated around 24,888 women requiring abortion care. We continue to provide essential healthcare services including contraception advice, STI testing, counselling, and treatment for women facing pregnancies they feel unable to continue. BPAS works in partnership with local sexual and reproductive health organisations, including Brook, Umbrella, WISH, Embrace and more to support end-to-end care across the region.
More broadly, BPAS continues to act as a leading voice in reproductive healthcare, successfully campaigning for legal reform across at-home early medical abortion, telemedicine, buffer zones around clinics to protect staff and patients from anti-abortion harassment, and the decriminalisation of women.
Our work is underpinned by insights from our Centre for Reproductive Research and Communications (CRRC), which analyses emerging trends in service delivery, client experience, and clinical outcomes. This evidence base ensures we continuously improve the quality, safety, and accessibility of care for women in the West Midlands and across the UK.
Our Birmingham South clinic today
