General News
4 September, 2023
Growing knowledge during Women's Health Week
September 4-8 is a week for local women to focus on their health, with a wide-range of local services providing the perfect opportunity to get check ups and tests that may have been put off. A nationwide campaign, the Jean Hailes Women’s Health...
September 4-8 is a week for local women to focus on their health, with a wide-range of local services providing the perfect opportunity to get check ups and tests that may have been put off.
A nationwide campaign, the Jean Hailes Women’s Health Week aims to help women grow their knowledge about their health and make informed health decisions.
Maryborough District Health Service (MDHS) community health nurse Nicole Powers said the week is a chance for women to learn more about their health and make some positive changes that can help them feel better.
“We all lead busy lives and women often don’t put themselves first,” she said.
“This is a great time to learn about what local services are here to support you and how you can find the information you need to take care of your health.”
MDHS runs a dedicated Well Women’s Clinic in Maryborough, Avoca and Dunolly providing free consultations and tests, and a place for women to have a comprehensive health check or gain confidential advice from a specialist female nurse.
The clinics offer preventative healthcare and advice about cervical screening, including self-collection, contraception and family planning advice, breast checks and advice on self-examination and support with all stages of menopause, including perimenopause.
“We’re here to support women to make informed decisions about their health, with information that’s easy to understand,” Ms Powers said.
“We are urging women across the Central Goldfields to reach out and make an appointment for a health check. It’s very important to keep your breast checks and cervical screening up-to-date.”
Ms Powers said cervical screenings are now more accessible than just a pap smear, with a self-collection option on offer.
“All women and people with a cervix aged between 25 and 74 years are encouraged to have a cervical screening test every five years,” she said.
“The self-collection method is a game changer. You can take your own sample with a swab and without a speculum, so it’s much less invasive.”
The MDHS team will be at Goldfields Reservoir parkrun this Saturday, September 9, with members of the community invited to come along and find out more about the Well Women’s Clinic.
Parkrun kicks off at 8am at the Goldfields Reservoir carpark.
For more information and Well Women’s Clinic dates visit mdhs.vic.gov.au/well-womens-clinic or call 5461-0333 and press 1 to make a booking.
For Women's Health Week resources visitExtra Resources womenshealthweek.com.au
MDHS WellWomen'sClinic Services
• Cervical screening, including self-collection
• Contraception and family planning advice
• Period problems
• Breast checks and advice on self-examination
• All stages of menopause, including
perimenopause
• Preventative healthcare
• Continence advice and referral
September-October Clinic Dates
Maryborough 75-87 Clarendon Street
Thursday, September 7
Thursday, September 14
Wednesday, September 20
Thursday, September 28
Wednesday, October 4
Thursday, October 12
Dunolly MDHS Campus, Havelock Street
Wednesday, September 20
Thursday, October 26
Avoca MDHS Campus, Templeton Street
Thursday, September 14
Wednesday, October 18
Appointments run for 45 minutes and are free