❓ Question on Notice regarding the expansion of abortion provision to nurse practitioners and endorsed midwives in WA, focusing on training, adverse events, supervision, and quality assurance. The answers reveal limited data collection by the Department of Health.
AnsweredQoN 694Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the expansion of abortion provision to nurse practitioners and endorsed midwives under the new legislation, and I ask: (a) how many nurse practitioners and endorsed midwives in Western Australia (WA) are currently: (i) authorised to prescribe MS-2 Step; and (ii) actively providing medical abortion services; (b) what specific training requirements exist for non-medical practitioners providing abortion services; (c) how many adverse events have been reported involving abortion procedures performed by: (i) medical practitioners; (ii) nurse practitioners; and (iii) endorsed midwives; (d) what supervision requirements exist for non-medical practitioners performing abortions; (e) what licensing or approval processes exist for private abortion clinics in WA; (f) how many abortion providers have had their registration or licensing suspended or cancelled; (g) what quality assurance audits are conducted of abortion service providers; and (h) what emergency protocols exist when complications arise during nurse or midwife-led abortion procedures?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
18 November 2025
Responded by
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health
Response time
8 days
(a) (i) Under the Public Health Act 2016 , nurse practitioners and endorsed midwives may issue a prescription for an abortion drug (MS-2 Step) as part of the care management pathway for early medical abortion and if it is within their scope of practice and training. No further authorisation is required.
(ii) The Department of Health does not collect this information.
(b) Under the Therapeutic Goods Administration, no additional training is required, although practitioners may wish to undertake training in line with professional development requirements.
(c) The Department does not collect this information by practitioner group.
(d) Endorsed Midwives and Nurse Practitioners are regulated to work within their scope of practice and do not require supervision.
(e) Under the Private Hospitals and Health Services Act 1927 and its subsidiary legislation, any health facility that conducts surgeries under general anaesthesia or intravenous sedation must be licensed.
(f) No facility providing abortion services has had the license that was issued under the Private Hospitals and Health Services Act 1927 suspended or cancelled. Suspension or cancellation of professional registration of individual health practitioners is governed by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency.
(g) The Department undertakes annual licensing inspections.
(h) It is within the scope of practice for credentialled Nurse Practitioners and Endorsed Midwives to manage a patient in an emergency situation. They will escalate care as necessary following the emergency protocols of the organisation/practice setting.
(ii) The Department of Health does not collect this information.
(b) Under the Therapeutic Goods Administration, no additional training is required, although practitioners may wish to undertake training in line with professional development requirements.
(c) The Department does not collect this information by practitioner group.
(d) Endorsed Midwives and Nurse Practitioners are regulated to work within their scope of practice and do not require supervision.
(e) Under the Private Hospitals and Health Services Act 1927 and its subsidiary legislation, any health facility that conducts surgeries under general anaesthesia or intravenous sedation must be licensed.
(f) No facility providing abortion services has had the license that was issued under the Private Hospitals and Health Services Act 1927 suspended or cancelled. Suspension or cancellation of professional registration of individual health practitioners is governed by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency.
(g) The Department undertakes annual licensing inspections.
(h) It is within the scope of practice for credentialled Nurse Practitioners and Endorsed Midwives to manage a patient in an emergency situation. They will escalate care as necessary following the emergency protocols of the organisation/practice setting.
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