Women have been at the forefront at this year’s budget, with billions of dollars being invested to improve the lives of women in Australia.
In addition to supporting women’s safety and addressing gender-based violence, a significant focus has been placed on women’s health.
Two out of three women surveyed in the #EndGenderBias survey experience discrimination and bias when seeking health care, often having their pain and symptoms dismissed or given insufficient treatment recommendations.
Steps have been taken in the budget to tackle bias against women to address healthcare inequity.
Substantial funding has been allocated to enhance various aspects of women's health, including reproductive health, pregnancy, miscarriage, infertility, menopause, and gynecological issues.
Women will see higher Medicare rebates to see gynecologists for complex conditions like endometriosis, and new Medicare services for midwives to provide longer consultations before and after the birth of a child.
In addition, the life-changing medicine abemaciclib (Verzenio®) used to treat a specific type of early breast cancer will be added to the PBS. The addition of Verzenio® to the PBS reduces the cost from $97,000 to a maximum of $31.60 per script.
These investments aim to improve access to healthcare services, raise awareness about pertinent health issues, and enhance the overall quality of life for women through all stages of life.
The Guild welcomes this increased focus on ensuring women have access to the healthcare services they need. Significant progress has already been made towards improving the range of treatments available to women through community pharmacy, with UTI and hormonal contraception services being introduced across the nation.
