Womens Health Business Case Report

Women’s Health Centres 2020-21 – Prevalence of Presenting Health Issues

Addiction Reproductive 2% Social/Cultural 3% Other 4%

Breast

Gynacological/Urogenital 5%

Emotional/Mental Health 32%

Legal/Financial 10%

Violence/Abuse 11%

Physical/ Medical Health 17%

Relationships 13%

Fig 7 – Women’s Health Centres 2020-21 Prevalence of Presenting Health Issues

2.4.1.2 An Appropriate Setting The safe, private and women-focused settings provided by Women’s Health Centres, and the assurance of being treated or supported by female staff is recognised within the literature as an element of service delivery that has positive impact on women’s health outcomes 30 . This approach is relatively unique within the NSW health system yet is recognised as crucial to enabling access to health services for women, particularly for those who: are experiencing the health effects of trauma associated with domestic and family violence or sexual assault 31 ; and those from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and many CALD backgrounds 32 33 .

The Women’s Health Referrer Survey indicated that professionals see significant value in the unique women- friendly settings provided by Women’s Health Centres. Of the 90 respondents: • 83% indicated that a ‘women’s-only’ setting was the most appropriate option for the client that they chose to refer • 61% indicated that the Women’s Health Centre provided a culturally appropriate service that their client required. A school principal in a highly culturally diverse area of Sydney who was interviewed for this business case described the importance of the women’s-only setting for women in her school community as follows:

“99% of families in our school community are from non-English speaking backgrounds. Many are refugees and are traumatised by war in their home countries. Many of the women – mothers – are heavily restricted in their movements. Often the only places they are permitted to visit is the school, and the Women’s Health Centre – which is viewed as appropriate because only women are there. The Women’s Health Centre means they can get health care, and staff also come to the school regularly to do health workshops for these women”. - Primary School Principal, Canterbury/Bankstown LGA

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Women’s Health NSW – October 2022