News

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GP training for IUD and birth control implants a ‘game-changer’

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The RACGP has welcomed the launch of free GP training to insert and remove IUDs and birth control implants, saying GPs will now be better supported to provide expanded reproductive care to patients.
 
The training is part of the Federal Government’s commitment to women’s health announced earlier this year and is geared towards boosting the number of health practitioners qualified to provide birth control implant services, particularly in regional, rural and remote locations.
 
Sexual and Reproductive Health Australia (SRHA) and the RACGP will deliver the AusLARC national training project, which can be accessed by GPs, nurse practitioners, registered nurses and midwives.
 
Scholarships for regional, rural and remote participants will be available to cover the costs of travel and accommodation to attend training, with the aim to ensure women – regardless of where they live – can access birth control implant services if that is their preferred method of contraception.
 
Assistant Federal Minister for Health, Ageing and Women, Rebecca White, said the AusLARC project will make it easier for doctors and health professionals to train in the use of IUDs and birth control implants, providing more choice to patients.
 
‘Health practitioners will have access to hands-on training and clinical placements at 21 sites across the country, with mobile outreach clinics helping reach some rural and remote communities,’ she said.

While long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) is considered one of the most effective types of contraception, uptake in Australia is low at around 11%, with some European countries and the United Kingdom having more than 30% use.

Welcoming the Government’s announcement, RACGP President Dr Michael Wright said it would support more patients to access affordable contraception through their GP.
 
‘LARC uptake has remained relatively low in Australia,’ he said.
 
‘This is why increasing the rebate for LARCs was a key initiative in our RACGP 2025 Federal Election platform.
 
‘The boost in Medicare rebates for IUD insertion and birth control implants is expected to save around 300,000 Australian women a year up to $400 in out-of-pocket costs.’

The Federal Government has previously announced it will lift Medicare payments for doctors and nurse practitioners to provide bulk-billed insertion and removal of IUDs and birth control implants.

A spokesperson for Minister White told newsGP that from 1 November, four existing Medicare items used by GPs and other specialists will have increased rebates:

• Insertion of an IUD (item 35503) from $93.55 to $215.95
• Removal of an IUD under general anaesthesia (item 35506) from $62.60 to $134.45
• Implantation of hormonal implants such as Implanon (item 14206) from $41.50 to $100.40
• Removal of Implanon (item 30062) from $70.85 to $105.15

Chair of RACGP Specific Interests Sexual Health Medicine Dr Sara Whitburn is pleased the Government has listened to GPs and women’s health practitioners.
 
‘I’m very pleased with the scholarships. I know it’s being said that the training is free, and it is free to the GP, but what the scholarship does is it decreases the barriers, the cost to the GP, for accessing quality LARC training,’ she said.
 
‘We know that because GPs are self-funded, when we do training, it does cost us, both the cost of the training and the time away from fee-for-service, and time away from our patients, which also has an impact, because GPs do want to provide care to their communities.
 
‘But the reason I’m very pleased to see the scholarships is because it has come at a time when the Government has listened to what GPs and other women’s health practitioners have said – that to provide LARC, rebates do need to be increased.
 
‘The cost of provision plus the cost to the patient were a barrier. So, GPs will now be able to get training that is really cost-effective for them, and with Medicare rebates increased to support provision of LARCs in GP clinics.’
 
SRHA CEO Daile Kelleher also welcomed the funding allocated to the program.
 
‘This funding will be game-changing for health professionals who want to provide more options for contraception but can’t get the training required due to cost, travel or time,’ she said.
 
‘The focus on regional and remote practitioners will help expand the workforce and ultimately allow people across Australia to have greater choice in contraception.
 
‘This is a strong commitment to choice and access, and we welcome this investment.’

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LARC long-acting reversible contraception Medicare women’s health

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