Bringing specialist women’s healthcare closer to home
At a glance
53 clients supported since March 2026 opening
36 group sessions delivered to build knowledge and capacity for self-management
More than 350 hours of specialised upskilling in pelvic pain, endometriosis, perimenopause and menopause completed by clinicians
For women living with endometriosis and persistent pelvic pain, accessing specialist care can be a long and difficult journey. In the Murrumbidgee, it previously also meant leaving the region.
That changed in March 2026 with the opening of the Endometriosis and Pelvic Pain Clinic at Nova Health Co in Wagga Wagga – the Murrumbidgee’s first dedicated service of its kind.
Murrumbidgee Primary Health Network (MPHN) successfully sought Australian Government funding for a local clinic after inviting expressions of interest from general practices across the region. Its establishment fills a significant gap, providing access to specialised care that previously required women to travel to centres such as Canberra or Sydney.
“This clinic significantly improves access to specialised care for women with complex and often life-impacting conditions, allowing more care to be delivered closer to home,” MPHN CEO Narelle Mills said at the launch. “It represents progress for women’s health in our region and reflects the importance of investing in services that respond directly to local need.”
The model goes beyond simply establishing another service. Women can be referred by their GP or self-refer and receive coordinated support from specially trained GPs and nurses, alongside group education designed to give them greater knowledge and confidence to manage their health.
Demand was immediate.
“Within the first week the clinic was inundated with women applying,” MPHN Senior Manager Integration Toni Preuss said.
Since opening, the clinic has supported 53 clients and delivered 36 group sessions. According to Nova Health Co Director Dr Trudi Beck, clinicians have collectively undertaken more than 350 hours of upskilling in pelvic pain, endometriosis, perimenopause and menopause, building specialist capability within the region as well as providing direct care.
For Dr Beck, listening is fundamental to the model.
“Women often experience long delays to diagnosis or feel their symptoms are dismissed, which can be incredibly frustrating and isolating,” she said. “Our clinic focuses on listening to women, providing coordinated and compassionate care, and supporting them through different stages of their lives in a respectful way.”
The clinic also demonstrates MPHN’s broader approach to strengthening integration, connecting general practice, allied health, hospitals and community care to reduce service gaps and create more streamlined patient pathways.
With outreach to other Murrumbidgee communities planned, its reach will continue to grow.
As Ms Preuss said: “Women in our region can now access this service locally, without the need and cost of having to travel out of the region, when so many in the community have been suffering for so long in silence.”
Supplied images: Pelvic Pain Clinic 1 (of sonographer Simone Francis) and Pelvic Pain Clinic 2 + pic from launch.