Have you ever wished you didn't have to wait a week to get a GP appointment? Wondered where to go for help after a sexual assault? Wanted a women's health centre in your area? Know the difference between the services of a birth centre, obstetrician, and private midwife?
Australia’s largest network of organisations advocating for women’s equality marked the International Day of Action for Women’s Health on 28 May 2011 with the launch of a survey to identify gaps in Australian women’s health services.
“Understanding what’s working and what’s missing in women’s health services is critical to health departments being able to target funding to the services women need,” says project coordinator, Emma Davidson.
“We need to know whether women are able to access GPs when they need them, do they know about the services offered by women’s health centres, would they like more access to midwives or birth centres, are there domestic violence or sexual assault crisis services in their area? The best way to find out what women want is to ask them.”
The survey is available online at www.equalityrightsalliance.org.au until Friday 24 June 2011. Printable surveys are also available at the website, and are being distributed through community organisations around Australia.
Equality Rights Alliance will publish the results of the survey, including a map of gaps in Australian women’s health services, in early July 2011.
The survey includes questions about access to a wide range of services, including GPs and hospitals, sexual health clinics, private midwives, mental health services, and breastfeeding counsellors. Women can give their views on what needs to change if they are not happy with services in their local community, and can identify services that are needed. The results will also identify areas of need for women with disability, who do not speak English as their first language, have family care responsibilities, and more.
