$20m, 22 clinicians: Health minister boosts support for Qld abortion services
The state government will spend nearly $21m to expand early-termination-of-pregnancy services to women across Queensland.
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The state government will allocate $20.78m to boost access to abortion services in Queensland, Health Minister Shannon Fentiman has announced.
The investment will be used to recruit an additional 22 full-time nurses, midwives, social workers and senior medical officers across the state.
The funding is part of a $41.8 million commitment to support the implementation of the Termination of Pregnancy Action Plan 2032, which was announced in March.
Qualified nurses and midwives will be able to perform termination of pregnancy using the drug MS2-Step once legislative changes commence later this year.
“We were the first state in the nation after the TGA approved nurses and midwives being able to prescribe MS2-Step, which is the early-termination-of-pregnancy drug,” Ms Fentiman said on Saturday.
“I am so pleased that we will be boosting our termination-of-pregnancy services right across Queensland, to allow more nurses and midwives to prescribe MS2-Step, particularly for women in rural and remote locations.”
Metro North Hospital and Health Service chief of nursing and midwifery Alannah Geary said it was “really amazing” to have the state government allow nurses and midwives provide abortion services.
“Nurses and midwives working to be able to provide services to women and families in Queensland is so vital for health care and for the longevity of our profession,” Ms Geary said.
An additional $8 million in funding was allocated to Children By Choice to further boost services across the state.
Children By Choice CEO Jill McKay said all people should be able to freely and safely make their own sexual and reproductive health choices without barriers.
“The decriminalisation of abortion was a landmark moment in Queensland history and correctly acknowledges that abortion is a healthcare issue,” Ms McKay said.
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Originally published as $20m, 22 clinicians: Health minister boosts support for Qld abortion services
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