RACGP Expert Committee Quality Care member and Endometriosis Expert Advisory Group member A/Prof Magdalena Simonis was interviewed regarding the recent government announcement to fund longer non-GP specialist consultations for endometriosis and other complex women’s health issues.
The announcement is very pleasing to hear and the specific mention of endometriosis and complex women’s health conditions being acknowledged by government, is welcome.
Women comprise around 50% of the population, around 60% of the work force and 70% of the healthcare work force.
This funding is mandatory to bring equity to the health discussion and we know that good economics requires equitable health economics – our systems will function better with a healthier population, who enjoys a better quality of life.
The cost of being a woman with a chronic women’s health issue has only just started to be considered – women spend more money on their health than men because they have to and need to, not because they want to.
‘Longer consults for endometriosis sufferers on the way’ [EXTRACT]
A $49 million funding boost will see two new MBS items added in July next year for specialist gynaecological appointments.
Women living with endometriosis and complex gynaecological conditions will soon have better access to longer consultations, under a new Medicare shakeup.
On Friday, the Federal Government announced a $49.1 million plan to introduce two new Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) items enabling extended consultation times.
The changes will be rolled out on 1 July next year and will also cover conditions such as chronic pelvic pain and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
It is expected the boost will fund 430,000 more services to help women to receive consultations of 45 minutes or longer.
Specifically, the Medicare changes will subsidise $168.60 for a minimum of 45 minutes during a longer initial gynaecologist consultation, compared to the standard rate of $95.60.
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Source article and photo credit: RACGP
Associate Professor Magdalena Simonis AM is the Immediate Past President of the AFMW (2020-2023), former President of VMWS (2013 & 2017-2020) and current AFMW National Coordinator (2024-2026). She is a full time clinician who also holds positions on several not for profit organisations, driven by her passion for bridging gaps across the health sector. She is a leading women’s health expert, keynote speaker, climate change and gender equity advocate and government advisor.
Magdalena was awarded a lifetime membership of the RACGP for her contributions which include past chair of Women in General Practice, longstanding contribution to the RACGP Expert Committee Quality Care, the RACGP eHealth Expert Committee. She is regularly invited to comment on primary care research though mainstream and medical media and contributes articles on various health issues through newsGP and other publications.
Magdalena has represented the RACGP at senate enquiries and has worked on several National Health Framework reviews. She is author of the RACGP Guide on Female Genital Cosmetic Surgery and co-reviewer of the RACGP Red Book Women’s Health Chapter, and reviewer of the RACGP White book
Both an RACGP examiner and University examiner, she undertakes general practice research and is a GP Educator with the Safer Families Centre of Research Excellence, which develops education tools to assist the primary care sector identify, respond to and manage family violence . Roles outside of RACGP include the Strategy and Policy Committee for Breast Cancer Network Australia, Board Director of the Melbourne University Teaching Health Clinics and the elected GP representative to the AMA Federal Council. In 2022. she was award the AMA (Vic) Patrick Pritzwald-Steggman Award 2022, which celebrates a doctor who has made an exceptional contribution to the wellbeing of their colleagues and the community and was listed as Women’s Agenda 2022 finalist for Emerging Leader in Health.
Magdalena has presented at the United Nations as part of the Australian Assembly and was appointed the Australian representative to the World Health Organisation, World Assembly on COVID 19, by the Medical Women’s International Association (MWIA) in 2021. In 2023, A/Professor Simonis was included on the King’s COVID-19 Champion’s list and was also awarded a Member (AM) in the General Division for significant service to medicine through a range of roles and to women’s health.
