BCHS Quality of care 2024 digital - Flipbook - Page 13
Community alliance
BCHS’ submission into women’s
pain highlights how we can prosper
We have nothing to lose and
everything to gain by addressing
women’s pain with a cohesive,
multi-service, life course approach,
BCHS has affirmed in its submission
to the Victorian Department of
Health’s Inquiry into Women’s Pain.
After seeking community feedback,
the issue overwhelmingly identified
by local women and girls was the
need to be believed and to have
their pain experiences validated, not
just by healthcare professionals but
by society too, from educators to
workplace leaders.
BCHS’ submission, written
by Bronwyn Moore, made six
recommendations:
4.
Create a culture that listens,
believes and validates women’s
experiences.
1.
5.
Implement value-based,
person-centred service delivery
models.
6.
Create additional MBS item
numbers that recognise
the added cost of lengthy
consultations, including
for professional services
provided by nurses, allied
health professionals, and
specialist pain management
psychologists.
Integrated education
and training on women’s
reproductive experiences
across the community,
workplaces and within health
professionals’ curriculum.
2.
Use co-design methods to
develop culturally appropriate
education resources.
3.
Develop comprehensive
strategies that address the
cultural gender bias as it relates
to under or misdiagnosis and
treatment of women’s pain.
“The recommendations, proposed solutions and implementation strategies we have made
reflect BCHS’ values and vision for equitable healthcare. It’s informative, purposeful and takes
into account the experiences of women and girls from myriad of backgrounds.”
BCHS CEO Mandy Hutchinson
Pill testing support creates change
BCHS joined with the Victorian Alcohol and Drug
Association in January, 2024 to call on the State
Government to implement a drug checking
service, as per recommendations from five
Victorian coronial inquiries.
On June 24, 2024, the Victorian Government
announced it would introduce a drug
checking service to the state, starting with an
implementation trial.
“We applaud the Victorian Government for
following through on this important step in
minimising the harms caused by drug use,”
Dale said.
Then BCHS Executive Leader Wellbeing, Inclusion
and Independence, Dale Hardy, said drug
checking services, or pill testing, encouraged
people to reconsider consuming illicit drugs.
BCHS’ day-to-day actions to support people
using drugs include counselling and education
for clients and their families, residential and
non-residential withdrawal programs, mobile
drug safety services and access to clean injecting
equipment.
“Without a drug testing service, the only chance
we have of detecting hazardous substances are
when it’s too late,” he said.
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