Every body has the right to reproductive choice in the ACT
On Friday 28 November, MSI Australia attended the only hearing for the Inquiry into Abortion and Reproductive Choice Services in the ACT. This is the opening speech given by our MSI Canberra Clinic Nurse Unit Manager Melissa Ryan.
Good afternoon, my name is Melissa Ryan and I am the Nurse Unit Manager for MSI Australia’s Canberra clinic.
I am a proud Canberran, I have grown up in Canberra and I’m raising my family here.
My role is to oversee the day-to-day operations of the clinic, managing a team of doctors, nurses and admin staff to provide high quality care to the Canberra community.
As well as being a hands-on clinical role, as nurse unit manager I also manage the staffing, financial planning, and education and training for the clinic.
Over my time leading this facility, I have been exposed to the areas of reproductive health that are lacking in the ACT.
Affordability remains a significant barrier to access for many clients, particularly those without Medicare.
And this is not just related to the in-clinic costs but also in-direct costs like parking, time off work, travel, and in some cases, accommodation.
Physical access is also a challenge, clients who may have a disability or diverse body type cannot always be facilitated at our clinic due to the current infrastructure available.
To us, greater accessibility means being able to provide care to all of the ACT’s diverse population and promote bodily autonomy and reproductive choices for the community.
Thank you to the ACT Government for providing us the opportunity to speak at the hearing. A link to our submission to the inquiry can be found here.
