Safe and available access to abortion care is one of the services Dr Angela Hardy said she's most proud to bring to the Port Macquarie-Hastings area.
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Dr Hardy (nee Jay) left Port Macquarie seven years ago after she was almost murdered by a former partner she met on a dating app.
Dr Hardy was working in Port Macquarie when she suffered serious knife wounds in the attack on November 3, 2016 at the hands of Paul Lambert.
He was later shot dead by police near Coffs Harbour.
Returning to Port Macquarie in February to open a women's health clinic, Dr Hardy said offering both medical and surgical abortion care is something she's proud to provide for women who need these services.
"I'm offering bulk-billed abortion appointments through my rooms and we've now started facilitating public surgical abortions through the public hospital which is something I am proud of," she said.
"I know that abortion care has been in the media recently because of the lack of access to publicly funded abortions throughout the state despite the decriminalisation of abortions."
Dr Hardy said previously women would need to travel to Coffs Harbour or Newcastle or opt to have a telehealth appointment to receive surgical or medical abortion care.
"Women could access the medications through telehealth, but otherwise if they needed a surgical abortion they generally had to travel and only under very certain situations were they occurring at the hospital," she said.
Chief Executive Mid North Coast Local Health District Stewart Dowrick said access to abortion services are shared by the public health system, private providers, primary care and accredited non government organisations.
"In most cases, medical or surgical terminations can be provided in the community or non-admitted settings by an accredited health practitioner," he said.
"Mid North Coast Local Health District's Women's Health Service provides free appointments with a Women's Health Nurse across the district for screening tests, advice and education."
Mr Dowrick said Port Macquarie Base Hospital and Coffs Harbour Health Campus provide surgical terminations for women with complex needs.
NSW Health is also supporting Family Planning Australia (formerly Family Planning NSW) to lead the pilot of a new service model, the SEARCH project, to improve access to affordable abortion (medical and surgical) and long acting reversible contraception services for women who experience barriers to affordable services in regional and rural NSW.
"This service model will build local service provider capacity and includes a strong focus on working with local Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services," Mr Dowrick said.
The NSW Pregnancy Choices Helpline 1800 008 463, which provides free, unbiased and confidential information, is available 8am to 8pm Monday to Friday, or via the Pregnancy Choices Helpline website and Live Chat at www.pregnancychoices.org.au. Information is available in 10 languages, and a free interpreter service is also available.
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