The ABC article on Catholic hospitals denying womens healthcare (click here for article) has lifted the lid on what is not common knowledge for many Australians – that certain hospitals which receive public funding, are refusing to provide essential women’s healthcare on religious grounds.
As the self-proclaimed “largest provider of maternity and newborn care in Australia,”[1] the Mater Hospitals are a key player in women’s health. However, they refuse to provide women with contraception or termination of pregnancy services due to the religious beliefs held within the institution. This prohibition applies not just to elective procedures but even in circumstances where it is medically necessary. As a result, women are being turned away from their closest public hospital because the medical treatment they require is not condoned for religious reasons. Mostly, the women concerned do not share those beliefs and feel shame about being rejected, often at a time when they are at greatest need of emotional support.
This practice of conscientious objection has until recently been generally associated with countries such as Ireland where the vast majority (80% or more) of the population is Catholic and where abortion was not legalised until 2018. In contrast, only 20% of Australians are Catholic according to the 2021 consensus. This raises further questions about the appropriateness of unilaterally imposing the values of the (minority) Catholic church on staff and patients. To do so, denies women access to key services which should be available at all public hospitals. Our firm’s view is that it is hard to see how this can be in the best interests of the patient.
[1] https://brochures.mater.org.au/brochures/mater-mothers-hospital/women-s-healthcare-in-a-catholic-hospital#:~:text=We%20respect%20every%20woman%27s%20right,not%20provide%20terminations%20of%20pregnancy.
