More than a year has passed since abortion was decriminalised in NSW, but Wagga health authorities are unable to say how they are improving access to services for women in the region.
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In July, Murrumbidgee Local Health District chief executive Jill Ludford said a working party had been established to "improve affordable and timely access to pregnancy termination" in line with NSW legislation.
She has said the working party includes the MLHD, Murrumbidgee Primary Health Network, non-government organisations, private providers and community representatives.
Ms Ludford has not been able to comment on the working party's progress, but said women seeking a termination of pregnancy could contact Family Planning NSW or the Wagga Women's Health Centre for advice.
However Julie Mecham, from the Wagga Women's Health Centre, said there "haven't been any great changes for access for women" since NSW's Abortion Law Reform Act came into effect on October 2, 2019.
She said she could refer women to one general practitioner in Wagga who prescribes medical terminations, which can be used in NSW for pregnancies of up to nine weeks.
"We don't have any further knowledge of local services," Ms Mecham said.
"It really is a terrible situation for women, because while the legislation has changed to decriminalise termination services, access and affordable access is absolutely paramount to providing women's health services in the region."
Wagga has 21 GP clinics but only three which are known to be credentialed to prescribe medical abortions, according to figures from the Murrumbidgee Primary Health Network.
Ms Ludford said Family Planning NSW "recently started" providing telehealth medical abortions through Medicare, "which will improve affordable access for women in rural and regional NSW".
But Medicare rebate cut-backs by the federal government mean Family Planning NSW does have to charge a fee for telehealth patients unless they have seen the service in a face-to-face appointment in the last 12 months.
The updated telehealth Medicare rules have been in effect since July 20.
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"Family Planning NSW has been urging the federal government to reinstate access to telehealth for essential healthcare, including abortions, during the pandemic," a spokesperson from the organisation said.
Ms Ludford said Wagga Base Hospital provides abortions for women "with the most complex needs".
"This includes women with specific medical conditions and those in advanced pregnancy who require obstetric and midwifery care," she said.
The nearest place for a woman to have an elective surgical termination - which are legal in NSW for pregnancies of up to 22 weeks - is in Canberra, an almost 500-kilometre round trip from Wagga.
Ms Mecham said this was a "gap in service delivery" for women in the Murrumbidgee.
"It disadvantages women enormously to have to travel outside the state to get a surgical termination," she said.
She said anyone seeking free counselling around pregnancy options could contact the Wagga Women's Health Centre.
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Catie McLeod
Catie is a reporter at The Daily Advertiser covering health and Wagga City Council. You can contact her on c.mcleod@dailyadvertiser.com.au or 0475 819 651.
Catie is a reporter at The Daily Advertiser covering health and Wagga City Council. You can contact her on c.mcleod@dailyadvertiser.com.au or 0475 819 651.
