Louise Miller-Frost (Boothby, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I was delighted to have the Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care, Ged Kearney, in my electorate of Boothby on Sunday to make an important announcement. All Australians deserve to get the health care they need. However, we know that for many women this is not the case, and on Sunday we announced South Australia's second endometriosis and pelvic pain clinic. This one is at Thrive Family Practice in Glenelg South and is part of the 22 clinics being opened across Australia as part of the Albanese government's commitment to improving health equity.

This clinic will provide women centred health care with skills, expertise and experience in the management of endometriosis and pelvic pain to not only the women of Boothby but to the women in the broader metropolitan Adelaide community. Their multidisciplinary approach ensures that patients can receive all the necessary services in one location, streamlining their healthcare experience. The treatment for endometriosis varies from person to person and requires a holistic approach to care. Symptoms can be managed effectively with good primary health care. This clinic will include general practice, gynaecology, a dietician, an exercise physiologist and a practice nurse amongst others.

I've heard firsthand from constituents about the struggles of women living with endometriosis. The journey to diagnosis is often long and confronting. They tell me they struggle to have their symptoms and experiences believed and taken seriously. They tell me they're struggling to access healthcare professionals who understand and can take on new patients. Endometriosis is more than just a painful period; it impacts general physical, mental and social wellbeing. It can affect their ability to work. It can affect their family and social relationships. Women are often told that severe period and pelvic pain is normal and that it's just something they should live with. But endometriosis impacts one in nine Australian women, and pelvic pain more broadly affects almost 50 per cent of Australian women.

Chronic pelvic pain is a complex health problem that can be the result of many different medical conditions, only one of which is endometriosis. On average, it takes seven years to get a diagnosis. That's seven years of pain, seven years of retelling their story, seven years of struggling on. This is simply too long.

Yesterday's announcement will play an important role in addressing diagnostic delay and promote early access to intervention and treatment. It will help women to manage their endometriosis and get on with their lives. Endometriosis and pelvic pain clinics are here to provide the understanding and care that Australian women deserve, and this clinic will facilitate better access for metropolitan Adelaide, making it more convenient to receive timely and tailored medical care, ultimately providing better health outcomes. They will be better able to access specialised care early so they can live their best life possible.

I thank Minister Butler and Assistant Minister Kearney for understanding the needs of Australian women and responding.