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Women living in rural and remote communities may not always have access to sufficient healthcare. To help address this issue, we employ a clinical nurse consultant in women’s health at our Broken Hill Base and also run the Rural Women’s GP Service.
Women’s health nurse
Our Women’s Health Nurse (WHN) conducts around 85 clinics each year in 16 locations across the SE Section. She provides a range of services including:
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individual patient consultations
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pap smears and breast screening
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advice on contraception
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antenatal care and post natal checks
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screening for sexually transmissible infections
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counselling
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advice on lifestyle issues (such as diet, alcohol, smoking and exercise)
Working closely with nurses from the Greater Western Area Health Service, the WHN also runs primary health education programs in the local high schools.
Rural Women’s GP Service
The SE Section administers the Rural Women's GP Service in order to provide country women with much needed access to female doctors. Operating since May, 2000, this national program is run in partnership with the Commonwealth Government and has a specific focus on women’s health including:
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cervical cancer screening
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breast examinations
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cardiovascular health
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diabetes
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menopause
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social and psychological issues
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reproductive and sexual health
26 female GPs from the SE Section of the RWGP Service annually treat nearly 5,000 country women at clinics conducted in towns across NSW, Victoria and Tasmania. These female doctors also run health education sessions in the local townships which, in the year ending June 2007, were attended by nearly 630 women of all ages.
The program continues to grow and many of our female GPs are also participating in community events such as local health forums, school visits and general meetings.