Women in regional Victoria face travel, cost and workforce barriers
RACGP has welcomed the Victorian Government’s commitment to make abortion care more affordable and accessible for women, particularly those living in regional and rural communities.
RACGP Victoria Chair Dr Anita Muñoz said cost and access barriers still prevent many Victorians from getting timely reproductive healthcare.
According to Women’s Health Victoria, 67% of Victorian local government areas do not have a surgical abortion provider.
Women’s Health Victoria also says regional Victorians seeking abortion care are almost twice as likely as metropolitan residents to access care after 12 weeks’ gestation.
67% of Victorian areas lack providers
Dr Muñoz said abortion care remains inequitable across Victoria, with women in regional and rural communities facing travel, cost and workforce barriers.
“Every Victorian deserves access to safe, timely, and affordable healthcare close to home, regardless of where they live,” Dr Muñoz said.
She added that no woman should have to travel hundreds of kilometres or delay care because of where she lives or what she can afford.
Dr Muñoz said improving access to abortion care, particularly in regional Victoria, is an important step toward a fairer healthcare system.
Meanwhile, RACGP said it has long advocated for improved abortion access, including low-cost and no-cost abortion pathways for rural and remote patients and measures to address barriers to private abortion services.
Dr Muñoz said general practitioners play a critical role in reproductive healthcare and in helping women access appropriate care.
“GPs provide person-centred, comprehensive, and ongoing care throughout every stage of a patient’s life, including reproductive and sexual healthcare,” she said.
She said patients trust their GP to help them navigate important healthcare decisions and coordinate the care they need.
RACGP said improving access to abortion care aligns with broader efforts to strengthen healthcare access across Victoria, particularly in communities facing workforce shortages.
Dr Muñoz said Victorians deserve affordable access to healthcare when and where they need it.
She said improving access to abortion care is one example of why Victoria must back community-based healthcare.
Her Victorian election platform comments included strengthening the GP workforce, supporting practices in regional communities and reducing cost barriers that stop patients getting care close to home.
The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners says it represents GPs in growing cities and across rural and remote Australia, and has set standards for education and practice for more than 60 years.
