The Victorian Women's Health Services Network (WHSN), leaders in women's health and wellbeing, has submitted a groundbreaking set of recommendations to the Victorian Government's Inquiry into Women's Pain. Drawing on decades of experience and evidence-based research, the WHSN is at the forefront of addressing the gender pain gap and advocating for systemic changes in healthcare.
As pioneers in gender-equitable health promotion and intersectional approaches, the WHSN has put forward eight key recommendations that reflect their unparalleled understanding and experience of women's health issues:
- Co-designing future health policies: Engaging women and gender-diverse people to ensure intersectional barriers are recognised and addressed.
- Strengthening gender impact assessments: Enhancing the capacity of the Victorian health system to fully implement the Gender Equality Act and driving the application of these assessments across all relevant sectors.
- Advocating for best-practice guidelines: Promoting the development of guidelines that embed gender equity in research, funding policy, and medical curricula.
- Increasing access to care: Supporting and incentivising the healthcare workforce through upskilling and expanding integrated, holistic care models to improve access to primary and specialist services.
- Investing in Women's Health Services: Sustaining long term funding for women's health services, and for programs that specifically support women and their wellbeing, and promoting integrated care models that address the specific needs of women and gender-diverse people.
- Supporting gender-inclusive reproductive leave: Advocating for the implementation of gender-inclusive reproductive leave through national legislation.
- Ensuring inclusive health research: Incorporating sex and gender considerations at all stages of government-funded health research to ensure equitable healthcare outcomes.
- Enhancing health promotion and education: Investing in programs to prevent violence against women, address stigma, and increase health literacy around chronic pain.
Adele Murdolo, Chair of the WHSN and CEO of Multicultural Centre for Women's Health, emphasised the network's unique position in addressing health inequities: "Our submission leverages our extensive expertise to challenge the systemic and cultural biases that have long undermined women's experiences of pain. As leaders in this field, we're calling for a paradigm shift in how the healthcare system approaches women's pain."
Kate Graham, Deputy Chair of the WHSN and CEO of Gippsland Women's Health, highlighted the network's community-centred approach: "Our recommendations are embedded in direct engagement with women across Victoria. This grassroots understanding, combined with our professional insights, allows us to propose targeted, effective interventions that truly meet women's needs."
The WHSN's submission stands out for its comprehensive, holistic approach to pain management, addressing both physical and mental/emotional aspects, as well as the impacts of gender-based violence and trauma. This multifaceted strategy reflects the network's position as thought leaders in women's health.
"Our expertise spans urban, regional, and rural healthcare landscapes," added Murdolo.
"This broad perspective enables us to advocate for equitable, high-quality care that considers the diverse needs of all Victorian women and gender-diverse individuals."
The WHSN's recommendations also call for enhanced education and training for healthcare professionals, showcasing the network's commitment to driving systemic change and improving pain management practices across the sector.
As recognised authorities in women's health, the WHSN urges the Victorian Government to act swiftly on these expert recommendations, ensuring that women and gender-diverse individuals receive the equitable, high-quality care they deserve.
The submission to the Victorian Inquiry into Women's Pain from the Victorian Women's Health Services Network is available here https://www.whsn.org.au/policy-submissions/victorian-inquiry-into-womens-pain-
Key Facts:
Eight key recommendations: WHSN has made eight recommendations to address women's pain, including co-designing health policies, strengthening gender impact assessments, advocating for best-practice guidelines, and increasing access to care.
Investment and support: WHSN calls for long-term funding for women's health services, support for gender-inclusive reproductive leave, and the incorporation of sex and gender considerations in health research.
Community-centered approach: Emphasising direct engagement with women across Victoria, WHSN proposes interventions based on grassroots understanding and professional insights, addressing physical, mental, and emotional aspects of pain.
Systemic change advocacy: WHSN urges the Victorian Government to act on these expert recommendations to ensure equitable, high-quality care for women and gender-diverse individuals, addressing systemic biases and enhancing education and training for healthcare professionals.
About us:
About Women's Health Services Network
The Women's Health Services Network has been a driving force progressing and shaping Victoria's women's health and equality space for four decades. While our services were established and funded independently of one another, collaboration has been a strong part of our history. Today, the 12 women's health services funded through the state government's Victorian Women's Health Program collaborate under the title the 'Victorian Women's Health Services Network'. This enables us to work as a coordinated, mutually-reinforcing statewide network comprising both place-based and specialist services.
