The Central Coast Community Women’s Health Centre (CCCWHC) is calling on the NSW Government to increase its investment into Women’s Health this year as the demand rises across the state.
The Centre has asked the government to provide increased base funding of $15.95M per annum in the 2022/23 budget with indexation year on year escalating to $21.4M by 2024/25 as detailed in their pre-budget submission to support the service delivery of Women’s Health Centres across NSW.
The health centres at Woy Woy, Wyoming and Wyong provide counselling, caseworkers and therapeutic resilience programs for women and provide client safety advice and referral pathways especially for women who experience sexual, domestic and family violence.
The Woy Woy and Wyoming Centres can also provide specialised women’s sexual and reproductive health GP clinics.
CEO of CCCWHC, Theresa Mason, said these services are provided to some of the most vulnerable women in the community.
“Women’s Health Centres (WHC) in NSW have had no increase in core funding since 1986,” Mason said.
“The growth in populations, increased demand for services and technology and compliance costs exceed the limited funding of WHCs and continues to place stress on both our centre staff and community alike.
“We always prioritise the needs of women but have extensive waiting lists for counselling and case management.
“Many of the women on our waiting lists have experienced domestic and family violence and are at a personal safety risk and sometimes are still living with a violent partner.
“Other women are experiencing or have experienced traumatic life events or intergenerational trauma and are in need of ongoing support – the situation is distressing and heartbreaking.”
Mason said an increase in funding will ensure the centre had a base-line investment of $1M per annum to allow them to service approximately 5000 women per year.
“For Women’s Health Centres to deliver important services, we need a sustainable, properly funded workforce,” Mason said.
“Now is the time for the NSW Government to show their commitment in dealing with sexual, domestic and family violence throughout the state and prioritise women’s health and safety.”
Mason met with Parliamentary Secretary for the Central Coast, Adam Crouch, to discuss the CCWHC’s Budget submission and to highlight the importance of increased service capabilities in the Central Coast Region.
Crouch said he supported the CCWHC’s request for more funding to help deliver health services on the Coast.
“(The Central Coast Women’s Health Centre) run such an important service for women right across the Central Coast and I support any application for funding they put forward to the NSW Government.”
“I wish Robyn, Theresa and the rest of the team at Central Coast Women’s Health Centre the best of luck with their application,” Crouch said.
Maisy Rae