Family Planning Australia has announced the launch of a new platform to connect patients with sexual healthcare by postcode.
Family Planning Australia has announced the launch of its new online reproductive and sexual health service finder for New South Wales.
The platform, SEARCH+, is aimed at helping NSW patients source reproductive and sexual healthcare that is geographically accessible.
As of the platform’s launch, over 600 listings to the service have been added.
The listings function off a voluntary register that allows for relevant medical professionals to list their services, connecting with patients within their postcode.
“We have a range of providers and services on SEARCH+ and we are encouraging more providers to add their details,” Family Planning Australia CEO Sue Shilbury said in a statement.
“This is the first site of its kind in NSW and builds on the work of the Pregnancy Choices Helpline in supporting people to find care.
“We know travel can be a barrier when people are trying to find time sensitive healthcare and we’re looking forward to more providers listing their services on SEARCH+.”
Accessibility to abortion has become a key point for reform within rural and regional medicine, with this new platform poised to help alleviate the pressure.
“It can be complicated for people and women in particular, to find services close to home, particularly in rural, regional communities,” Sue Shilbury told The Medical Republic.
“It doesn’t necessarily mean services will become available where they are, not as prolific as we might like, but it certainly should make it easier for people to access services and find out what’s closest to where they live.”
Now with recent changes to allow registered nurses to prescribe contraceptives and medical abortions, the platform is in prime position to amend NSW’s inequities in safe contraceptive and sexual health services.
This change came after a NSW health review of abortion legislation that recommended changes to laws that were passed in May this year.
NSW health is now positioned to catch up to other states regarding reproductive and contraceptive health services.
“As nurse practitioners and midwives become start to prescribe, hopefully, they’ll list themselves on this website as well, and that will enable women to access them across New South Wales, so it will provide for better access,” Sue Shilbury told TMR.
“The more listings there are, the more helpful and beneficial it is to both providers who are trying to refer people to services across New South Wales.”
