Nurse practitioners and authorised midwives will be able to prescribe abortion medication under legislation passed in the ACT Legislative Assembly this week.
The Health (Improved Abortion Access) Amendment Act 2024 removes barriers to nurse practitioners and authorised midwives prescribing abortion medication, which currently only doctors can do.
Last year, the Therapeutic Good Administration removed restrictions on health practitioners who prescribe and dispense the abortion medication MS-2 Step (mifepristone and misoprostol).
The Bill also requires health practitioners who decline to provide abortion services on religious or other conscientious grounds, to refer individuals to another practitioner or facility in a timely manner, or to give their patients information about how to find such a provider.
Health minister Rachel Stephen-Smith said these amendments bring the ACT into line with other states and territories – balancing the need for timely abortion care with the right of health practitioners to not participate in the provision of services that conflict with their religious or personal beliefs.
“I am proud that the ACT continues to implement changes that improve access to safe and legal abortions,” Ms Stephen-Smith said.
“Women and people who can become pregnant [otherwise known as women] should be able to make decisions about their health care based on what is best for them and their body.
“The number of abortion service providers has been highlighted as a barrier to timely access. Improved access to abortion services will allow Canberra women to obtain appropriate, safe care, and to avoid potentially detrimental impacts to their mental and physical health and wellbeing.
“This change also supports the Government’s ongoing work to ensure that Canberra’s highly skilled nurse practitioners and authorised midwives can work to their full scope of practice.”
The amendments complement the ACT Government’s accessible abortions scheme, which supports the provision of no-cost abortions and free long-acting reversible contraceptives at the time of abortion to ACT residents, including those without access to Medicare.
These no-cost services have been available through MSI Australia since April 2023, and include participating general practices, pharmacies, pathology services, and medical imaging services.
“Making abortions free supports people to make their own decisions about their healthcare without worrying about the financial burden or how to access a service,” Ms Stephen-Smith said.
“The ACT Government is committed to continuing to work with healthcare providers across the ACT to ensure abortion services are safe and accessible.”
