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"Poor GP service"

About: GPs in the Pearce Electoral District

(as the patient),

My story starts off with a GP who refused to prescribe me the oral contraceptive pill due to religious reasons. I am a 21 year old, sexually active woman who has rights to my own body and should not be denied the right to contraception. I later heard that he also doesn't deal with things like that - these things include pregnancy out of wedlock, abortions, etc. 

I then booked in to see the only female GP at the same practice. She was on leave so I had to wait a month to see her. Skip forward the month. She refused to give me a pap smear due to my being under 25 and the new regulations regarding the new smear tests. Even though I was presenting with symptoms such as unexplainable pelvic pain (for several months), pain during intercourse, and other related issues. 

I booked in with a new GP, again at the same practice, and asked to be referred to a gynecologist. Again, I was refused - saying, we should do other tests to rule out other possibilities. Several tests later, not one of them a pap smear, and all of them coming back clear. Saying, there seems to be nothing wrong with you. 

Fast forward another 20-odd days. I wind up in the ER due to severe pelvic pain, probably about 8/10. Finally, a doctor listens to me and gives me some kind of diagnosis, but no gynae referral, but insists on me getting a pap smear. 

Fast forward another two weeks and I met with another GP at my usual practice (this is now the fourth doctor here, fifth doctor overall) and I had to beg for a pap smear, and request it be billed to Medicare under special circumstances as it was necessary for my current health issue and I cannot afford the test on a student allowance. I also asked once again to be referred to a gynaecologist. I received my smear test and my referral, but have been told that it can take several months to get an appointment in the public system. Several months because I can't afford private health cover, and rely on the public system. 

I believe my current diagnosis can lead to severe damage done to my reproductive organs, and may leave me infertile if not treated correctly and promptly. Infertile! A young woman who so looks forward to the day she becomes a mother, may become infertile because she cannot be seen soon enough due to the public system. And I believe because the GPs decided that I didn't need to be looked after properly. 

The public system is failing me and failing my future. I hope something can be done.

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