Albury GP takes NSW Greens call for abortions in all public hospitals to capital

Dr Amanda Cohn, who is running for a seat in the upper house at the state election this month, announced the NSW Greens reproductive health reform plan in Sydney on March 13.

The plan involves improved access to midwifery care, contraception, fertility treatment, abortion, menopause care and gender-affirming care through the public health system, as well as requiring that abortion be provided at every public hospital in NSW.

Despite being decriminalised three years ago, currently only two public hospitals in NSW - Wagga Wagga Base Hospital and John Hunter Hospital in Newcastle - provide abortion services.

Drawing on her experiences as a GP in Albury, Dr Cohn spoke of the cross-Border complexities of reproductive health care and how distance contributed to worse health outcomes for people living out of town.

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"As a GP and a provider of both abortion and antenatal care, I have looked after far too many patients who have had to shop around to find an abortion service and still travel long distances or interstate, and heard so many stories of traumatic birthing experiences," Dr Cohn said.

To address the burden faced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people forced to choose between culturally and medically safe birthing, the reform plan includes funding and resourcing of Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations and Birthing on Country programs.

Dr Cohn recently raised the issue of reproductive health access on the Border after a Royal Australian College of General Practitioners submission to a senate inquiry called out significant barriers for communities outside of major cities.

She said services shared and split across state lines could often complicate health advice for residents. Her recommendation for a statewide directory service is also written into the Greens health policy.

"We are absolutely worse than other regional areas, and that is partly to do with cross-Border issues," Dr Cohn said.

"The biggest issue we saw was the lack of services on the NSW side and people trying to access a Victorian service from rural NSW. That is because the NSW government has failed to take sufficient action to improve access since the 2019 decriminalisation."

Making period products available free at public toilets and schools also features in the reform announcement, an initiative familiar to many Albury residents.

In recent months Albury Council has debated and progressed toward making sanitary products available free at five community centres across the city.

With the trial set to be funded in the upcoming budget, machines dispensing menstrual items would be set up at council sites such as public toilets, changing rooms, pools and libraries.

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