The Illawarra Women’s Health Centre has welcomed proposed changes to New South Wales Health policy that would prevent hospital managers and executives from blocking abortion services based on personal beliefs.
As reported by ABC, the draft “termination of pregnancy policy directive” includes a section clarifying that conscientious objection applies only to individual health practitioners directly involved in clinical care, not to hospital administrators, executives or institutions.
The proposed reform comes after the Centre has spoken out about the difficulty Illawarra women have in accessing abortion care locally.
While recent regulatory changes have increased the number of practitioners able to prescribe medical abortion medication, women in the region continue to face significant barriers, including limited provider availability, GP referral requirements, geographic obstacles and stigma.
Illawarra Women’s Health Centre General Manager Jess Davidson said any proposal to clarify how conscientious objection should be applied was welcome, but stressed the policy must go further.
“Any proposal that clarifies how conscientious objection should be applied is welcome, particularly where it prevents non-clinical decision-makers from blocking lawful health care,” she said.
“But clarification alone isn’t enough. Policy reform must go further and require all capable public hospitals to provide abortion services, so access doesn’t depend on postcode or personal ideology.”
Earlier this year, new NSW legislation was introduced, allowing nurse practitioners and endorsed midwives to prescribe the termination medication MS-2 Step up to nine weeks of gestation.
The Illawarra Women’s Health Centre hopes to be able to provide some of these services to local women if funding is approved.
NSW Health confirmed to the ABC that the new policy framework is expected to be finalised and released early next year.
The Illawarra Women’s Health Centre’s Nurse Practitioner can support women’s sexual and reproductive health needs, including abortion support. We also offer non-directive pregnancy counselling in a trauma-informed and non-judgmental environment.
Contact us on 4255 6800 to find out more.