Perth, Friday 30 October 2026 — Sexual Health Quarters (SHQ) will provide free clinical training and contraceptive services through Western Australia’s new Long-Acting Reversible Contraception Centre of Excellence.
Sexual Health Quarters will launch Western Australia’s Long-Acting Reversible Contraception (LARC) Centre of Excellence on 2 November 2026.
SHQ is one of eight LARC Centres of Excellence established through a $25.6 million Australian Government investment. The centres will deliver nationally recognised clinical training and ongoing professional development for health professionals, alongside expert clinical and outreach services.
From 2 November 2026, Medicare-eligible clients will be able to access free LARC contraceptive advice and support, with consultations available in person or via telehealth. IUD and contraceptive implant insertion and removal procedures will also be provided at no cost at SHQ’s Northbridge and Rockingham clinics.
SHQ Chief Executive Officer Alison Kelly said:
“SHQ has a long history of supporting informed choice and reducing barriers to care, regardless of where someone lives or their financial circumstances. We are well placed to deliver the LARC Centre of Excellence in WA.
“This funding will make high-quality contraceptive care more affordable, accessible, consistent and equitable. We are proud to be part of this vital national program and to lead its delivery in WA.”
Limited access to appropriately trained health professionals—particularly in rural and remote communities—is a significant barrier to LARC uptake and reproductive choice.
The program will help address this barrier by expanding practical training for doctors, nurses, midwives and other health professionals, enabling them to provide LARC insertion and removal services in their communities.
The LARC Centres of Excellence form part of the Australian Government’s $792.9 million women’s health package, which aims to provide greater choice, lower costs and better care.
SHQ Medical Director Dr Samantha Johnson said:
“Long-acting reversible contraceptives, including IUDs and implants, are more than 99 per cent effective at preventing pregnancy. However, barriers such as cost, limited service availability and a lack of information have contributed to consistently low uptake among young Australians.
“By reducing these barriers, we hope more young people will feel empowered to make informed decisions about their bodies and reproductive health.
“In 2025–26, SHQ supported 7,701 clients across 12,397 appointments and trained 451 clinicians in specialised sexual and reproductive healthcare. This included 396 registrar clinics and 344 teaching clinics. We look forward to drawing on our extensive experience to make the WA LARC Centre of Excellence a success.”
In 2023, SHQ gave evidence at the Senate inquiry into universal access to reproductive healthcare. The inquiry’s final report, Ending the postcode lottery: Addressing barriers to sexual, maternity and reproductive healthcare in Australia, referenced evidence provided by Dr Johnson.
Reflecting on the announcement, Dr Johnson said:
“After giving evidence in support of improved access to reproductive healthcare, it is wonderful to be part of a program that directly addresses the barriers we raised around LARC access and clinician training.
“We are grateful to the Senate Community Affairs References Committee for its recommendations, which reflected many of the issues raised in SHQ’s submission and evidence, and to the Australian Government for its work towards universal access to reproductive healthcare.”
WA Primary Health Alliance Limited (WAPHA) has been commissioned to deliver the WA LARC Centre of Excellence and has partnered with SHQ to deliver this program. We are grateful to WAPHA for their confidence in SHQ and the opportunity to work together to improve access to LARC services and training across WA.
Looking to access LARC services or training? To book a LARC appointment with SHQ, click here. To view upcoming courses and training opportunities, click here, or email [email protected] for further information.