SYDNEY, Australia, 14 December 2023 – If the latest sexual transmitted infection (STI) data is
anything to go by, the removal of Medicare telehealth item numbers on sexual health services at the end
of this year could prove disastrous for an already perilous situation for STI numbers in Australia.
James Sneddon, co-founder of Stigma Health, Australia’s largest online sexual health clinic along with
thousands of primary care and sexual health workers are still waiting on word from the Department of
Health and Aged Care (DoHAC) as to whether the item numbers will remain in place beyond the 31st
December extension announced earlier this year, following strong lobbying from the Royal Australian
College of General Practitioners (RACGP).
“More than a third of our patients utilising the asynchronous option are first-time STI testers, which
proves the importance of this service and we continue to advocate strongly for this to be put in place
permanently. Access to STI testing and sexual health services in a non-judgemental and online
environment is critical to the uplift of testing rates in Australia.” Sneddon said.
Surprisingly, telehealth MBS numbers for sexual and reproductive health items were only confirmed on a
temporary basis, unlike many others that were made permanent in 2022.
“The stigma around requesting an STI test as well as cost are both huge barriers for people – we are
asking the DoHAC to take a patient centred approach to how we deliver a sensitive service such as this
that ultimately benefits the health of the community greatly. We need to do better at this stuff”.
Sneddon continued.
Data released this month from the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System (NNDSS) showed a
signicant spike in STI infections between 2021 to 2023, specifically a 45 per cent increase in
gonorrhoea and a 24 per cent increase in confirmed cases of chlamydia.
Young people in the 15 to 29 age bracket make up the majority of these numbers, with 67 per cent of all
chlamydia infections and 50 per cent of gonorrhoea infections.
Stigma Health offers comprehensive testing with a bulk-bill option for Chlamydia, Gonorrhoea, Syphilis,
Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and HIV. Access is available through www.stigmahealth.com or via
the Stigma Health app.