Albury-Wodonga's Gateway Health calls on Griffith, Wagga to provide termination service

Gateway Health's sexual health nurse Lauren Coelli said AWH was in talks with its Riverina counterparts, encouraging them to offer surgical terminations locally.

Gateway Health revealed 60 per cent of patients attending during the first eight months they began co-ordinating surgical abortion for AWH, came from the Murrumbidgee area.

A spokeswoman for AWH confirmed talks with Murrumbidgee Local Health District, which runs Griffith and Wagga hospitals, but did not say what these discussions entailed.

"Albury Wodonga Health is experiencing a recent increase in demand for termination services and we have been working with other health services including the MLHD to ensure women receive the care they require," a statement said.

Ms Coelli said AWH was looking at ways to deal with increasing demand for surgical abortions, especially from women outside the region.

"We do see a number of people from everywhere and the reason for that is there isn't many surgical termination services in NSW outside Canberra and Sydney," she said.

"AWH are now looking at their catchment area and in talks with Wagga and Griffith who both have public hospitals with gynaecological services that don't offer surgical term of pregnancy."

Ms Coelli said Griffith and Wagga hospitals should be offering surgical abortions, so women don't have to travel hundreds of kilometres.

A MLHD spokeswoman said the district was speaking to local GPs about options for women in the region.

"Public health facilities generally perform pregnancy terminations for women with the most complex needs. This includes women with specific medical conditions and those in advanced pregnancy who require obstetric and midwifery care," the spokeswoman said.

The spokeswoman said dilation and curettage procedures are offered at Griffith and Wagga hospitals.