Womens Health Business Case Report

Women’s Health NSW Business Case – Appendix B

7. COFFS HARBOUR WOMEN’S HEALTH CENTRE

NAME

GenHealth Incorporated t/a Coffs Harbour Women’s Health Centre

GENHEALTH INCORPORATED T/A COFFS HARBOUR WOMEN’S HEALTH CENTRE is an incorporated association and registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) as a Charity with Public Benevolent Institution status. Our focus is on providing services that are sensitive to the needs of women with complex health and social needs across their lifespan

ABN

73 738 289 843

WEBSITE

https://genhealth.org.au

FINANCIAL REPORTS Local Health District Primary LGA Serviced

https://www.acnc.gov.au/charity/charities/48a7e623-38af-e811-a963-000d3ad24077/documents/

Mid-North Coast LHD

Coffs Harbour LGA

NSW Electorate

Coffs Harbour

Federal Electorate

Cowper

Site

Coffs Harbour

Local Population & Health Indicators The Coffs Harbour LGA is relatively socioeconomically disadvantaged, with an above average proportion of one parent families and women on low incomes. 4.7% of women in the LGA also have three or more chronic and long-term health conditions. Reported rates of domestic and family violence remain well above the state average, along with incidents of sexual assault which are more than double the NSW average. Women in this LHD are hospitalised as a result of domestic and family violence at more than twice the average rate. Although women in the Mid-North Coast LHD report lower levels of psychological distress than the state average, rates of both mental health emergency presentations and intentional self-harm hospitalisations of women are well in excess of the NSW average. These figures suggest significant rates of hidden and under-reported mental illness and psychological distress amongst women. Responding to Emerging and Unmet Needs GenHealth, the Coffs Harbour Women’s Health Centre currently provides health services to approximately 4000 women each year through the Women’s Health Program. The Centre has traditionally focused predominantly on providing clinical health services to meet the significant, and otherwise unmet need for specialist bulk billed women’s health practitioners in the area. Sustainable investment in the program is reflected in Scenario 1 with a recalibration of costs to deliver currently contracted services and Scenario 2 reflecting the level of services and activities currently being delivered by the Centre to meet community needs. Expanded investment in the Women’s Health Program, envisaged in Scenario 3, would enable the Centre to expand the range of services that it provides and offer a more comprehensive service model. In particular, the Centre would seek to: • Offer counselling services to more effectively address the needs of women presenting to the centre with complex physical, sexual, emotional and psychological needs associated with domestic and family violence; high demand from women, including young women who are experiencing trauma related to domestic and family violence and sexual assault; • Provide dedicated intake and assessment and integrated care resources to support women and children with immediate and acute issues impacting on their health. This would significantly enhance the effectiveness of care planning and the capacity to manage case conferencing to support women with complex health needs; • Introduce a range of therapeutic, health education, skills development and physical activity groups to support women with recovery from domestic and family violence trauma, mental health, managing menopause, and maintaining overall health; and • Expand on successful pilots of peer-led therapeutic group models to support women recovering from domestic and family violence related trauma and other serious health issues.

Women’s Health NSW Business Case – Supplementary Publication: Appendix B

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