00:00My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Health. The
00:04Greens bill expanding access to abortion in New South Wales came into effect in
00:08June last year. It's been more than a year since the law in New South Wales was
00:13updated to enable nurse practitioners and endorse midwives to prescribe abortion
00:17medication and three years since the TGA approved that change. Why has New South
00:23Wales Health still not updated its own policies to enable endorsed midwives
00:28working for New South Wales Health to prescribe abortion medication?
00:32The Honourable Courtney Hussos. Thank you Mr President. I thank the Honourable
00:40Member for the question to me representing the Minister for Health, a fantastic
00:45Minister who is working across a broad range of challenges that we're facing
00:51with our health system. In relation to this specific question I'm advised that
00:57New South Wales Health is reviewing the training available that will support
01:01nurse practitioners and endorse midwives to provide this care. New South Wales Health
01:06is working towards enabling endorsed midwives to utilise their endorsement in
01:12public facilities. As the member is probably aware there are 284 endorsed midwives
01:19and 826 nurse practitioners in New South Wales across both the public and private
01:25sectors and in the interest of preserving my voice I will take the rest on notice and come
01:30back to them. Dr Amanda Connell. Thank you Mr President. This change was really important.
01:39Firstly to provide improved access to abortion care in rural and regional areas but also to take
01:44pressure off the health system where we've currently got medical officers doing work that can be done
01:50safely and competently by nurse practitioners and endorsed midwives and I know that nurse practitioners
01:54are doing this work supported by New South Wales Health but not endorsed midwives. New South Wales
02:00Health told me at Budget Estimates that they were reviewing the framework and that it should all come
02:05together in early 2026. It's now October. The revised framework for termination of pregnancy is
02:11finished. It's been published and we've still got staff working for New South Wales Health who are qualified to do
02:16this work. The TGA says it's safe to support this work. The law that this parliament passed encourages
02:23and supports them to do this work but we've got internal New South Wales policy that's a New South
02:27Health policy that's preventing that to happen and there are people missing out on this care who are
02:33having it delayed or having to travel as a result. Thank you.
