Opinion: More focus on women’s health

Opinion: More focus on women's health

Geraldine Masson – Director of Women’s Services

Access to specialist healthcare services for women has been challenging for many women and especially in rural and regional communities. These are health issues that affect many women at different stages of life, yet they have often been under-recognised and under-treated leading to a gap in wellbeing for women. The combination of community awareness, availability of services and even gender bias have sometimes been barriers to timely care for some women.

Recent investment in women’s health clinics at Barwon Health aims to remove these barriers and ensure that women have access to the care they need when they need it. This includes additional services, and improved access to specialised care for conditions such as pelvic pain, heavy menstrual bleeding, prolapse, incontinence, contraception, and menopause.  In addition, we welcome the recent announcements that additional pharmaceutical products treating menopause will be subsidised by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, making these treatments more affordable to patients. The government has also widened the range of contraceptives available to women, meaning there is better access to modern contraceptives without being significantly out of pocket.

We have also expanded our pregnancy care service with new clinics focused on women with complex and high-risk medical issues in pregnancy such as diabetes-in-pregnancy.  Specialised care for women managing diabetes in pregnancy is critical to reducing complications and improving outcomes for both mothers and babies. A maternal medicine service has also been established to provide expert care for women with pre-existing medical conditions who are pregnant or planning a pregnancy.

To enhance access, our clinics will now operate five days a week with multidisciplinary teams of doctors, nurses and allied health staff providing coordinated care in collaboration with General Practitioners. This approach ensures that women and gender-diverse individuals can receive timely and appropriate healthcare, close to home. By integrating services and offering a holistic approach to care, these clinics will improve health outcomes and quality of life for many people in the community.

We have recently refurbished our clinic spaces and now have a dedicated pregnancy care clinic in 73 Little Ryrie St as well as our existing services at University Hospital Geelong. Theses services will all ultimately relocate to the new Barwon Women’s and Children’s when construction is complete in 2029.

The expansion of women’s health services in Victoria is a significant step forward in addressing long-standing gaps in healthcare access. These investments demonstrate a strong commitment to meeting the evolving health needs of the community and ensuring that all women receive the care they deserve. By providing specialised, coordinated, and culturally safe care, Barwon Health is taking meaningful steps towards improving the health and wellbeing of women and gender-diverse people across our region.