Orange Hospital to restore abortion services after investigation reveals ban

Abortion services at Orange Health Service in New South Wales will be reinstated after a ban on terminations for non-medical reasons was revealed. An investigation showed that staff had been directed to stop providing these services, which are legal in Australia. New South Wales Health Minister Ryan Park announced that the hospital will restore the level of abortion services previously available. The Western NSW Local Health District is also reviewing access to abortion services across its facilities. The previous policy required staff to refer patients seeking non-medical terminations to other providers. This change follows concerns about access to abortion care in rural areas, where some clinics are far away and limited in services.