The Allan Labor Government is making it safer and easier for women to access abortion services closer to home - by boosting services at Victoria's Sexual and Reproductive Health Hubs.
Minister for Health Mary-Anne Thomas today announced Ultrasound Grants for the total value of $350,000 for our sexual and reproductive health hub network to purchase pelvic ultrasound equipment and support related training - so that more women can access no to low-cost medical abortion care, closer to home.
Victoria now has an extensive and growing network of public abortion care available, meaning more affordable care for Victorian women, when they need it most.
This includes medical abortion care delivered through our expanded sexual and reproductive health hubs, with 12 located in regional communities.
Our new mobile women's health clinic and virtual women's health clinic are also expanding access to medical abortion. Opened in June 2025, the virtual women's health clinic has reported close to 60 per cent of appointments have supported medical abortion.
In addition, surgical abortion is now available through 23 public health services across the state, including regional Victoria. Further work is underway to leverage the newly created Local Health Service Networks (LHSNs) to support services to uplift capability, capacity and clear referral pathways for care.
The clinical service plans being developed by each Network will seek to enhance local access to care and will ensure there are 'no wrong doors' for women through streamlined referral to the right site for their care.
We're also supporting our health workforce to build capacity in sexual and reproductive health care, including abortion, through our women's health specialist scholarships program. This program has delivered more than 420 scholarships including over 60 for abortion care and almost 80 for contraception training.
Training to deliver abortion and contraception care has been also offered to hundreds of clinicians through the Clinical Champions Project, led by the Royal Women's Hospital which has secured ongoing funding through the 2025-26 budget.
All women in Victoria have access to free and confidential advice about contraception, abortion and sexual health services through the government's continued investment in 1800 My Options.
All this is part of the Allan Labor Government's work to transform women's health in Victoria.
To learn more about where to access abortion services, visit: 1800 My Options
As stated by Minister for Health Mary-Anne Thomas
"By investing in our Sexual and Reproductive Health Hubs, we're making sure more women can get access abortion care when they need it, closer to home, and without unnecessary out-of-pocket expenses and delays."
"We know that access to timely, affordable pelvic ultrasounds remain a barrier for women accessing medical abortion - especially for women living in regional and rural areas. Co-location of pelvic ultrasound at our hubs will help ensure more women can access abortion care by reducing cost, delays in care and travel times."
