Getting to bottom of pain New clinic will provide relief and treatment for hundreds of women in FNQ

l CAIRNS CBD

| Isabella Guzman Gonzalez

AN endometriosis and pelvic pain clinic has opened in the Cairns CBD.

True Relationships and Reproductive Health Cairns (True) received a grant to establish the clinic.

It is estimated that in Australia, one in nine girls, women and gender-diverse people live with endometriosis, a debilitating chronic gynaecological condition.

Through the Department of Health and Aged Care grant, True, in partnership with North Queensland Primary Health Network (NQPHN), will receive more than $700,000 over four years to hire specialised staff like nurses and health professionals, investment in equipment, resources, training and development.

Rural and Regional Health Assistant Minister Emma McBride visited Cairns to tour the True clinic and celebrate the announcement.

“This clinic is one of 20 that have been successful in receiving funding as part of $16.4 million across the country to boost the timeliness and access to quality care for women and girls to improve their health outcomes,” she said.

“It typically takes seven years from when someone first experiences symptoms until they’re diagnosed, and this can be longer in rural and remote communities.

“This is part of our investment in regional and remote healthcare to ensure that wherever you live, you can access timely, affordable and quality care.”

The funding will also mean more capacity for True’s out- reach service, reaching Cairns’ women and women living in FNQ’s remote areas.

True’s chief executive Dr Karen Struthers said the funding would mean an increased capacity of services. “This funding will support our clinicians and engage and recruit other clinicians. These issues require multiple responses, physios, and clinical treatment; there’s not one fix or just one support to help ease this pain,” she said.

“We will have the capacity through this funding to help you, so don’t suffer in silence, don’t wait seven years, let’s have people who can pick up on these issues early on and get treatment.”

NQPHN health system and integration executive director Karin Barron said in a matter of weeks, True would be able to provide the endo clinic services.

“With True, we’ve already started to explore multiple areas, shared education and training, significant changes to cervical cancer screening, introducing self-screening testing, True’s satellite clinics,” she said.

“We will develop the scope of works in the contract now, and in the next seven to 14 days, funding will flow, recruitment will happen, and expansion of services will happen.”