Wagga’s and Albury’s Women’s Health Centre are set to receive sizable funding from the NSW Government over the next four years. Photo: Wagga Women’s Health Centre Inc. Facebook.
Wagga Wagga’s and Albury’s Women’s Health Centre have been announced as two of 19 centres across the state to receive funding from the NSW Government.
The Wagga-based clinic is set to receive $1,006,000 over the next four years, while the Albury-Wodonga clinic has been promised $1,788,500 to ensure it is properly resourced to continue providing essential health and wellbeing resources. The funding comes as part of a $34.3 million increase in NSW Government investment in improving women’s health services. The additional funding pushed the total to more than $100 million over the next five years.
The allocated funding will be used to increase staff numbers, reduce waitlist times for counselling appointments, offer healthcare and counselling services to more women, and adapt existing services to better suit emerging demographics.
Minister for Health Ryan Park said the $34 million investment would help ensure that women across NSW had access to this incredibly important service.
“We’re committed to improving access to healthcare services for women and this significant funding enhancement will help these centres continue to provide important health-related care and support services across NSW,” he said.
According to statistics released by NSW Health, The Women’s Health Centre Program provides face-to-face support to an average of 50,000 women across NSW each year.
Women from low-income and other priority backgrounds, including women who have experienced domestic violence, make up the majority of Women’s Health Centre clients.
Minister for Women Jodie Harrison said women’s health centres were vital in providing a safe place for women who might otherwise fall through the cracks, and were critical in removing barriers to health care by providing women with the care they needed in their communities.
“The investment will see an immediate increase in essential health services for vulnerable and at-risk women in need, provide sustainability to the sector and stability to the workforce,” she said.
“The investment in this centre and others is part of the NSW Government’s ambition to better support women all over our state and spans a range of areas, from health and other services for women to workforce participation.”
This announcement comes alongside the news that the NSW Government will provide an $18.6 million investment over four years for 29 new McGrath Breast Care Nurses for metro, regional and remote communities.
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