More than 50,000 calls have been answered by 1800 My Options, proving yet again it is a vital component of Victoria’s healthcare system.
Women’s Health Victoria’s 1800 My Options service provides free, confidential information and referral services to connect people with abortion, contraception and sexual health services.
Women’s Health Victoria Chief Executive Officer Sally Hasler said call number 50,000 was typical of the vast majority of calls received over the past eight years – a request for help to navigate the health system.
“While there’s no such thing as a standard call, this huge milestone was typical of the most common call type – a request for information about how to access abortion services,” Ms Hasler said.
“In fact, about 90% of our calls are about abortion, which is not surprising given around one in four women will have an abortion in their lifetime.
“We also provide information about how to access long-acting reversible contraception, and information about sexual health and sexually transmitted infections.
“We are proud to have provided more than 20,000 referrals into Victoria’s public hospital system.
“It speaks a lot to the barriers women face when we need to run a phone line to provide information on how to what is essential healthcare. We will continue to advocate to ensure Victoria’s healthcare system supports access to sexual and reproductive health when people need it,” she said.
Manager of the 1800 My Options service, Carolyn Mogharbel said most callers are looking for help to understand what options are available for their circumstances.
“Sometimes callers don’t know where to access support to make informed decisions about their health, and we are here to link them to the healthcare professionals they need,” Ms Mogharbel said.
“Around 30 per cent of callers, or 15,000 people, have told us they can’t afford to pay for essential healthcare.
“More than 2,500 people have told us that the violence they experience has created a barrier to them getting the care they need.
“We’ve had more than 445,000 visitors to our website where people can get access to evidence based information, and search for healthcare providers in their area.”
Minister for Health Harriet Shing said the Victorian Government was proud to provide funding to Women’s Health Victoria to run the 1800 My Options service.
“Navigating the health system to access the right care and treatment is often really daunting, but we know that trusted points of contact can make a world of difference,” Minister Shing said.
“The dedicated team at Women’s Health Victoria has now supported 50,000 callers with the information, compassion, and respect they deserve – we’re proud to support them in this life-changing work.”
Of the 50,000 calls taken to date, 1800 My Options Sexual and Reproductive Health Navigator, Julie, has taken more than 8000 calls.
“At the end of each shift my hope is that callers have felt heard, supported and confident in how to navigate what is a highly complex healthcare system,” Julie said.
For more information about 1800 My Options, please visit 1800 My Options | Sexual and Reproductive Health Services