New GP training for IUDs and birth control implants set to transform access
04 Sep 2025
Free GP training in IUDs and implants set to expand women’s contraceptive choices
Australian women will soon have better access to affordable contraception, with the Federal Government launching free training for GPs and other health professionals to insert and remove IUDs and birth control implants.
The initiative, welcomed by the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP), is part of a $792.9 million women’s health package. It aims to boost the number of trained providers, especially in rural and remote areas, where access to long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) is limited.
The AusLARC national training program, run by Sexual and Reproductive Health Australia (SRHA) in partnership with the RACGP, will offer hands-on training and clinical placements at 21 sites across the country. Scholarships will also help cover travel and accommodation costs for regional doctors, nurses and midwives.
To make LARCs more affordable, the Government will also increase Medicare rebates for insertion and removal by up to 150%, cutting out-of-pocket costs by as much as $400 a year for around 300,000 women.
Currently, only about 11% of Australian women use LARC methods such as IUDs or implants, compared with more than 30% in parts of Europe and the UK.
RACGP President Dr Michael Wright said the program will make contraception more accessible and affordable:
“This will support more patients to access the contraception of their choice through their GP.”
SRHA CEO Daile Kelleher said the investment would be “game-changing,” particularly for health professionals in regional and remote areas who previously struggled to access training.
Source: newsGP