Ms PATTEN (Northern Metropolitan) (20:10): (1827) My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Health, and the action I seek relates to endometriosis. March is Endometriosis Awareness Month, so it is a great time to amplify the push for adequate care for women suffering from this under-recognised disease that undermines the wellbeing of so many. By the age of 44 one in nine Australian women have been diagnosed with this condition. Many cases start as teenagers. It can be debilitating. It puts life on hold around or during a woman’s period. There are a range of painful pelvic symptoms, which partially explains why it takes 6½ years on average to be diagnosed. No-one should have to endure being in pain for such a ridiculously long time.
Endometriosis is an inflammatory disease. It most commonly strikes the reproductive organs, but it is also frequently found in the bowel and in the bladder, and it can happen in muscles, joints, the lungs and the brain. I would like to do a quick shout-out to the Hudson institute, who are setting up an incredible information research centre which I hope this government will look at funding.
There are 35 000 endometriosis-related hospitalisations each year in Australia. So it is not just hurting women, it is a huge economic burden on the entire community. The Australian government estimates the disease costs close to $10 billion a year. Two-thirds of that is in lost productivity, the rest is in health care.
Endo is as common as asthma and rheumatoid arthritis. It is more common than breast and prostate cancer, diabetes and HIV and AIDS combined. Our current health system lacks proper care pathways and evidence-based approaches to the delivery of care. There are so many stories of patients being poorly managed and the severity of their disease not being understood. In fact a UK study that was recently done with 13 000 women found that nearly 50 per cent of them had suicidal thoughts because of their endometriosis. So the action I seek is that the government develops and implements a specific endometriosis policy and strategy.
Fiona Patten MP
Leader of Reason
Member for Northern Metropolitan Region
Adjournment matter 22/3/22
Answer
Thank you for your question and your ongoing advocacy on women’s sexual and reproductive health.
The Andrews Labor Government supports a focus on endometriosis as this is a significant and often debilitating women’s health issue. This chronic condition has significant personal and societal costs. While there is no known cause or cure for endometriosis, a range of treatment options are available. Earlier diagnosis of chronic conditions such as endometriosis that affect women’s sexual function and health, fertility and reproductive wellbeing is critical.
Since 2017 the Andrews Labor Government has provided funding to support a focus on women’s sexual and reproductive health as identified under the Victorian Women’s Reproductive Health Key Priorities 2017 – 20. This includes funding for Jean Hailes Foundation to develop resources to raise women’s and health professionals’ awareness about endometriosis, including information in other community languages. As part of this investment the government has also established eight women’s sexual and reproductive health hubs, four in metropolitan Melbourne and four in regional Victoria. Between these eight hubs and their satellite clinics there are now twenty sites available across the state for women to access for screening, treatment, support and care.
In the 2021-22 budget, the government allocated further funding to expand the existing women’s hubs and establish three new regional hubs bringing the total to 11. The hubs provide access to contraception methods, pregnancy options including medical termination of pregnancy, sexually transmissible infections testing and treatment as well as a range of other women’s health services such as chronic reproductive health issues.
The Government is currently finalising the Victorian sexual and reproductive health and viral hepatitis strategy 2022-2030. The strategy includes the Victorian Women’s sexual and reproductive health plan 2022-2030 which sets the overarching direction for access to information, services, workforce capacity and collaboration and addressing such conditions as endometriosis is a key element of the new plan.
The Government is also currently preparing a renewed gender equality strategy, aimed at improving health outcomes for all Victorian women, including in the areas of mental health, and sexual and reproductive health.
The Victorian Department of Education and Training supports schools to ‘champion’ menstrual health by providing resources and guidance on how to promote positive menstrual health in schools. The department is consulting with experts and key stakeholders on opportunities to include information on pelvic pain, including endometriosis, in an upcoming update to the department’s menstrual health resources.
Thank you for raising this important matter with me. The Andrews Government is committed to creating greater awareness of and supporting women’s reproductive health.
The Hon. Mary-Anne Thomas MP
Minister for Health
Minister for Ambulance Services
Date: 25/07/2022
