The new low-cost surgical terminations of pregnancy service for Tasmania will commence from Monday next week with the first referrals being taken.
The Department has this morning briefed all Prescribed Health Services of this positive development, and later today Primary Health Tasmania is providing information to GPs to ensure they have the information needed to refer patients to this service.
Referrals will also be taken from the Prescribed Health Services and other medical specialists. Women will also be able to access the service directly themselves.
The provider of the service has given permission for their name to be publicly released, it is Melbourne-based Hampton Park Womens Health Care.
Direct referral to the service will also be available from Monday. Telephone contact and website details for Hampton Park Womens Health Care are available on the Department of Health’s website: http://bit.ly/TasHealth
Following a referral, the provider will then consult directly with those referred to the service.
Based on an assessment of likely demand, the service will initially comprise fortnightly clinics with the first on the 28th of November, this may increase to weekly, depending on demand. Referrals will be taken throughout the week, as is standard for any medical specialist service.
The service will charge a standard fee of $475.
That will be subject to review in later years to take into account factors such as medical rebates and costs, but the Government has committed that the service will remain affordable.
The Patient Travel Assistance Scheme will be available for intrastate travel to the service, including for women who self-refer, and the Department is also providing increased funding to Prescribed Health Services, and Pregnancy Counselling and Support Tasmania, to ensure longstanding arrangements to support women continue.
Women from regional areas can now receive PTAS support to access these services, and this is an important step forward.
