General News
18 July, 2024
Sexual and Reproductive Advice Clinic a “one-stop-shop” for local healthcare
A new sexual and reproductive health service has opened up at the Maryborough hospital to provide free and crucial assistance around pregnancies, pelvic issues, contraceptives and related needs. Maryborough District Health Service’s (MDHS) Sexual...
A new sexual and reproductive health service has opened up at the Maryborough hospital to provide free and crucial assistance around pregnancies, pelvic issues, contraceptives and related needs.
Maryborough District Health Service’s (MDHS) Sexual and Reproductive Advice Clinic (SaRA) will support and empower women, girls and gender diverse people in the Central Goldfields and surrounding areas.
Through SaRA, which will be open four days a week, people can avail the confidential services at zero cost, and without a referral.
Since its preliminary launch in May, nearly a dozen clients have already visited the clinic — with early feedback “overwhelmingly positive”.
That initial praise reflects not only the service’s quality but also its scope.
“From pregnancy choices and sexually transmitted infections to contraception — [it’s] a one-stop-shop,” SaRA’s Katie Wylie said.
The clinic’s wide breadth of offerings include:
Expert advice on contraceptive methods and family planning options.
Support for early pregnancy, medical and surgical abortion services.
Treatment, screening and prescriptions, including emergency contraception.
Assistance with conditions like endometriosis and fertility concerns.
Personalised counselling and referrals to specialists as needed.
“We are proud to offer a compassionate and respectful service that supports women, girls, and gender-diverse individuals to manage their health with dignity and care,” MDHS CEO Nickola Allan said.
“Our sexual and reproductive [clinic] is dedicated to empowering individuals to make informed decisions about their sexual and reproductive health.
“The establishment of SaRA represents our commitment to providing access to critical health services for our community, regardless of where they live, work or socialise.”
According to MDHS, the clinic could also be the first of its kind in Victoria, with the service estimated to be the only one in the state to be run by Endorsed Midwives — professionals in the field who have completed additional training and are authorised to prescribe certain medications.
Within SaRA , they will be able to provide time-critical access to treatment, screening, prescriptions, counselling and referral, tailored to individual needs.
“[Endorsed Midwives] have an advanced skill-set and scope of practice,” Ms Allan said.
“They can really provide great detail and support women and gender diverse members of our community in getting the right information [regarding] whatever pathway they’re seeking.”
SaRA is the third cog in MDHS’ bigger scheme, focused on boosting women’s healthcare closer to home.
In May 2022, the hospital introduced it’s revolutionary midwifery model — ensuring one-on-one care for women throughout pregnancy, labour and birth, as well as into early parenting.
Following on from that, the second push came in March this year with the opening of the first permanent breast cancer screening clinic in the Maryborough hospital.
These developments, Ms Allan said, form part of MDHS’ commitment to improve health outcomes for women.
“This (SaRA) is kind of the next step in our journey to ensuring we’ve got the right services locally that women can access,” she said.
“We really keep trying to ensure that we’re putting ourselves in the best position to meet the needs of our community.”
SaRA is LGBTIQ+ friendly and provides a culturally safe environment for all.
The team will collaborate closely with local GP clinics and specialists to ensure seamless care for patients, with strong links to maternity and women’s health services.
The clinic is open from 4 to 7 pm on Monday and Tuesday, and 9 am to 4:30 pm on Wednesday and Thursday.
Bookings are essential — online bookings, telehealth options and language interpretation services are also available via mdhs.vic.gov.au
To find out more, contact 1800 My Options on 1800-696-784 or visit 1800myoptions.org.au