Toowoomba GP Sian Edwards says federal government’s women’s health plan will strengthen women’s options

Women’s healthcare has been given a multimillion-dollar boost as part of the federal government’s plan to provide greater choice and less costs to women. See what one of Toowoomba’s leading GPs in women’s health has to say.

Women’s health is no longer cumbersome in the eyes of the government after a major announcement.

The Albanese Government has announced a $573.3 million package for women’s health, targeted at improving more choice, lower cost and better health care.

The package also includes a 30-year first which will see two contraceptive pills added to the PBS, saving women $380 a year, with the average cost of newer generation oral contraceptive pills costing women up to $75 a month.

Newer generation contraceptive pills Yaz and Yasmin were officially available on the PBS as of March 1.

The decision comes after Health and Aged Care Minister Mark Butler asked the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee to consider extending benefits to the newer generation of oral contraceptive pills.

Health Minister Mark Butler. Picture: NewsWire/ Scott Gelston

“A new contraceptive pill hasn’t been listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) in more than 30 years,” the department of health and aged care said in a statement.

“As a result, one in three Australian women aged 18-39 who use the combined oral contraceptive pill are paying for a non-PBS listed pill which costs them hundreds of dollars more each year.”

Toowoomba GP and True Relationships and Reproductive Health senior medical officer Dr Sian Edwards said reducing these barriers would also help alleviate mental and physical stress for women.

Toowoomba GP Dr Sian Edwards said the federal government's $573 million investment into women's health is a step in the right direction to improving healthcare for women. Photo: Supplied

“It’s really important that we’re still having those options for contraception because it just impacts on so many other things not just for that you know that woman, but also within her family group, her extended work life and things like that,” she said.

“I’m glad to see the Australian government actually investing in healthcare for women because I feel like that side of women’s health has lagged for a while.”

Dr Edwards said she would also like to see greater improvements for rural and remote areas in accessing both women and primary healthcare.

“We’re seeing so many towns west of Toowoomba (facing the barrier) of even a face-to-face conversation with a primary healthcare provider or someone who can help with decision making,” she said.

“Then there’s access to pharmaceuticals, being close to a pharmacy that can actually dispense those (contraceptive) choices.”

The Albanese Government has also bid to provide larger Medicare payments and more bulk billing options for IUDs and birth control implants.

Women living with endometriosis will also have greater access to treatment with 11 new clinics opening, which will also treat pelvic pain and specialist support for menopause.