All About Us
Leichhardt Women’s Community Health Centre (LWCHC) is an accredited service with Australian General Practice Accreditation Limited (AGPAL) and is operated by women for women. Its gender and trauma-informed primary health care model provides wrap-around health services, support and education to marginalised and financially disadvantaged women inclusive of those experiencing both transgenerational trauma and systemic racism (both First Nations and Culturally and Linguistically Diverse women). All cis and trans women are welcome....
Our Vision
All women in our community are healthy, safe, empowered and thriving.
Our Purpose
Leichhardt Women’s Community Health Centre’s (LWCHC) purpose is to provide our clients with a choice of high-quality professional health care, education and support services in an inclusive and safe environment.
Our Values
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Client-centred, trauma-informed practice
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Validating women’s stories through empathy, trust and safety
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Working ethically and respectfully, through a feminist lens
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Embracing diversity and inclusivity
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Working collaboratively to build and maintain partnerships
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Championing social justice, equality and equity
Our Centre
The centre is funded by Sydney Local Health District (SLHD) and is a registered Public Benevolent Institution Charity with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) and has been endorsed as a Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) since 2001.
Leichhardt Women’s Community Health Centre is a multidisciplinary health centre with over 20 staff speaking several community languages, who provide health care, support and education across the inner city, inner west and southwest suburbs of Sydney. We emphasise preventative health and empower women to participate in their own informed health care and related life decisions. Services comprise mixed billing medical clinics with highly skilled and experienced general practitioners specialising in women’s health, women’s health nurse clinics, acupuncture and naturopathy clinics, generalist and drug & alcohol counselling, on-site and outreach health education programs, dance movement therapy groups and, community support and health education programs specific for Vietnamese women.
Our specialised state-wide service called Women Partners of Men who have Sex with Men offers counselling and group support for women whose male partners are same sex attracted. This service also provides capacity building and training for other health professionals and is funded by Population Health, SLHD.
LWCHC specifically focuses on NSW Health Women’s Health Indicators (2019). This critical framework places women at the centre of decision making for their own health. While the framework is for all women, priority groups including Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Communities and First Nations Women are identified to improve health outcomes and social impact by guiding targeted service delivery and increased performance measurements.
LWCHC promotes collaboration with government, non-government and business, health, welfare, education, and housing sectors to assist women to thrive and have meaningful fulfilling lives.
We provide:
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Women’s Health General Practitioner Clinics
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Women’s Health Nurse Clinics
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Acupuncture and Naturopathy Clinics
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Drug & Alcohol Counselling – with a focus on women affected by their addiction, or someone close to them from a harm minimisation perspective
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Counselling – relationship issues, family and domestic violence, grief, self-esteem, and counselling for adult survivors of childhood sexual assault
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Counselling for women partners of same sex attracted men
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Health Education groups – including relaxation, yoga, meditation, art therapy, dance and movement
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Community Health Education Sessions - menopause, osteoporosis, menstruation, ageing with health and vitality, nutrition, heart health, breast examination and cervical screening, emotional wellbeing
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Vietnamese social support and health education groups.
Our Focus
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Sexual and reproductive health – cervical screening, breast checks, contraception, safe sex, sexually transmitted infections, sexual health screening, HIV testing, all options pregnancy counselling and referrals, menstruation, menopause, polycystic ovary syndrome, thrush, fibroids and continence.
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Mental and emotional health – depression, anxiety, social isolation, domestic and family violence, relationships, trauma and complex trauma including intergenerational trauma.
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Other health matters including - sexuality, LGBTQIA+ community health concerns and complex chronic health needs.
Wrap-around care for clients is also supported by our solid external pathways to community GPs, medical specialists, hospital outpatient clinics, affordable allied health providers, counsellors and psychologists, BreastScreen NSW, sexual health clinics, other women’s health centres, supported housing services, family support services, women’s drug and alcohol residential services, refuges and support services for financial, legal, employment and education assistance.
Our in-house partnerships include a registered psychologist and counselling for adult survivors of child sexual assault in partnership with Full Stop Australia.
Leichhardt Women’s Community Health Centre (LWCHC) acknowledges and pays respect to the Gadigal and Wangal people of the Eora Nation as the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we work. We acknowledge the continuation of cultural and spiritual practices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. LWCHC supports The Uluru Statement From the Heart.
© Copyright 2024 Leichhardt Women’s Community Health Centre.
Leichhardt Women’s Community Health Centre provides client centred and trauma informed wrap-around health services, support and education to marginalised and financially disadvantaged women.
LWCHC is committed to embracing diversity and eliminating all forms of discrimination in the provision of health services. LWCHC welcomes all women irrespective of ethnicity, mental health, history of suicidality, drug use, faith, sexual orientation, or gender identity.
We are not a crisis counselling or drop-in centre. Our practitioners see women by appointment. Phone us to find out more or to book an appointment: 9560 3011. If you have an urgent medical condition, please go straight to the hospital or dial 000.
Funded by NSW Health