If passed, nurse practitioners and endorsed midwives will be permitted to prescribe for medical abortion across the state.
A bill strengthening abortion access in New South Wales is going before the state’s lower house this week – but GP-turned-politician Dr Amanda Cohn says there is reason to keep the pressure on.
The Greens MP introduced the bill in February of this year; it originally had four aims.
These were: obliging local health districts to ensure abortion services are provided publicly, allowing nurse practitioners and endorsed midwives to prescribe medical abortions, removing mandatory reporting requirements for providers and requiring practitioners with a conscientious objection to refer patients on.
Following amendments which allowed the bill to pass the upper house, it now only changes the law to include nurse practitioners and endorsed midwives in the list of eligible medical abortion providers.
The requirement for local health districts to ensure abortion services are provided publicly was dropped, as was the requirement for conscientious objectors to refer patients onward.
“I don’t think it comes as a surprise to anyone that the version of the bill that passed a majority of members of the upper house, including members from every major political party, was different to what the Greens originally introduced,” Dr Cohn told The Medical Republic.
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“The most important change that really needs to be made through legislation is the change allowing nurse practitioners and endorsed midwives to prescribe medical abortion, and that’s what’s coming before the lower house this week.”
Prior to entering politics, Dr Cohn practiced in the Albury-Wodonga region.
Before abortion was decriminalised in 2019, she would regularly see patients who had travelled hundreds of kilometres to cross the NSW state line in order access termination of pregnancy.
“What was really distressing was that after the legislative change happened in 2019 in New South Wales, that was never actually followed up with service provision,” she said.
“People are still travelling hundreds of kilometres across western New South Wales into Victoria to access what is now a legal health procedure.
“It was clear from that experience that we still needed change in New South Wales so that abortion is not just legal but accessible.”
The legislation, which is set to be introduced into the lower house before the end of this week, will be subject to a conscience vote for both Labor and Coalition MPs.
Premier Chris Minns, health minister Ryan Park and shadow health minister Kellie Sloane have all said they will support the bill.
While an increase in medical abortion providers could potentially lift demand on public hospitals providing termination of pregnancy, Dr Cohn said there was reason to keep pressuring the state government to act.
“The premier’s on the record in parliament last year saying that he understands that public hospitals have an important role to play, that services will be available and that they will be fully funded,” the Greens MP said.
“We don’t need any further laws to change for that to happen.
“We just need the government to fund the services.”
