Medical and charity groups back free period product vending machines in NSW hospitals
Medical and advocacy groups endorse an initiative to set up vending machines providing free period products in every NSW hospital. (ABC Illawarra: Brooke Chandler)
In short:
More groups have endorsed a campaign for free vending machines providing pads, tampons and underwear in NSW hospitals.
Share the Dignity and the Australian Society for Psychological Medicine say every state and territory should commit to free products in hospitals.
What's next?
The NSW minister for health says he is considering the proposal.
A national period charity and a medical body have endorsed a campaign for vending machines providing free period products and underwear in NSW hospitals.
NSW hospitals are meant to provide free period products to people who need them.
But data from charity Share the Dignity suggested that 13 per cent of women who participated in its 2024 national survey reported they were not able to access the products.
Founder Rochelle Courtenay said those results were not surprising.
"My daughter ended up in a hospital, and she started to bleed and they offered her a diaper," Ms Courtenay said.
"Why wouldn't they just have a pad?
"I've heard women talk about having a miscarriage and they didn't have access to period products in a hospital — it's undignified, and it's not OK."
Rochelle Courtenay says all states and territories should provide free pads and tampons in hospitals. (ABC News: Col Kerr)
Share the Dignity installs vending machines providing free period products throughout Australia.
Their model was part of the inspiration for Wollongong woman Samantha Bruce's campaign to have vending machines providing free pads, tampons and underwear installed in every NSW hospital by NSW Health.
She called the initiative My Monthly Matters, which was supported by the Royal Australian New Zealand College of Psychiatrists, the Australia Institute, and the Illawarra Women's Trauma Recovery Centre.
Share the Dignity has now also backed the campaign.
"The vending machines are a great option in the emergency department," Ms Courtenay said.
"Whether somebody is there visiting, or a mum has a child in hospital, if they get their period they should have access to period products."
Medical group backs campaign
The Australian Society for Psychological Medicine has also written to NSW Health in support of the initiative.
President Naomi Rutten said providing free period products and underwear was trauma-informed care.
Several groups now support the push for period products to be available via a dispenser in NSW hospitals. (ABC Illawarra: Brooke Chandler)
"This needs to be implemented across Australia," Dr Rutten said.
"If you went to the hospital with gastro, you would be provided something to vomit into — no-one would say that you need to bring your own bucket. So why are we doing it in regard to menstrual needs?"
Dr Rutten said that when women were denied these products, it could impact more than their physical health.
"Not only is it a hygiene issue, but it's a safety issue," she said.
"If someone is left with no period products or underwear in a busy public area, they're really highly vulnerable and will feel vulnerable."
Samantha Bruce hopes that more support for My Monthly Matters will create change. (ABC Illawarra: Brooke Chandler)
Ms Bruce said she hoped the growing number of voices supporting her campaign would see it adopted.
"It shows it is an initiative that needs to be implemented," she said.
NSW Minister for Health Ryan Park previously said he would consider the proposal, but that hospitals were required to stock pads and tampons for patients.
"The emergency department (ED) has a supply of free sanitary products for any patient who may require them while in the ED," he said.