Bendigo Community Health Services (BCHS) has welcomed Victorian Labor’s election commitment to remove out-of-pocket costs for abortion care, describing it as an important step towards ensuring women can access essential healthcare, regardless of their circumstances or where they live.
BCHS CEO Mandy Hutchinson said access to safe, timely and affordable abortion care was fundamental to women’s health and their right to make decisions about their own bodies.
“We wholeheartedly believe that abortion care is healthcare,” Ms Hutchinson said.
“But more than that, it’s about women having a choice. And when that choice has to be made, it’s about receiving excellent care in a timely, safe and supportive environment that’s close to home.
“Removing the financial barriers to abortion care is significant. No woman should have her healthcare choices determined by her ability to pay or where she lives.”
BCHS operates a Sexual and Reproductive Health Hub providing Medicare bulk-billed abortion care, including initial consultations, testing and a nurse-led phone line offering support and advice for planned and unplanned pregnancies. The Hub also has trained clinicians who can provide point-of-care ultrasounds for eligible patients when required.
The Hub’s Clinical Lead, Dr Karishma Kaur, said pregnancy decisions could be complex, and access to compassionate, non-judgemental care was essential.
“Providing timely, compassionate and non-judgemental care is our priority, always,” Dr Karishma said.
“A pregnancy may initially be wanted, but circumstances can change. Reasons for abortion may include serious foetal anomalies, risks to maternal physical or psychological health, family violence, relationship breakdown, financial hardship or changing family circumstances.”
Dr Karishma also welcomed the proposal to extend access to medical abortion from nine to 10 weeks, particularly for regional women who may experience delays accessing appointments, investigations or medication.
“An additional week can make a meaningful difference, especially for women living in rural and regional communities,” she said.
“However, equitable access goes beyond cost and geography. Limited provider availability, privacy concerns and difficulties accessing timely investigations and follow-up care can all create barriers.”
Ms Hutchinson said BCHS welcomed commitments that recognised abortion care as essential healthcare and addressed the inequities experienced by regional communities.
“As a community health service, we see firsthand how financial, geographic and other barriers impact people’s ability to access the care they need.
“We welcome initiatives that remove these barriers and strengthen women’s access to healthcare. We look forward to working with whichever government is elected to continue improving access to safe, affordable and compassionate abortion care across rural and regional Victoria.”
Click here for more information on our Sexual and Reproductive Health Hub services.