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"Walking together in kindness" artwork produced for Gold Coast Health by Riki Salam, We are 27 Creative.
The Endometriosis and Pelvic Pain Interdisciplinary Care Service (EPPICS) can now provide life-changing care to more women, thanks to a recent expansion.
The specialised clinic offers comprehensive care for women experiencing endometriosis and pelvic pain from a multidisciplinary team of specialists, allied health professionals, and nursing staff.
The team has now relocated to one main space at 132 Smith Street, Southport, allowing stronger collaboration and service delivery.
“Previously, EPPICS has operated across multiple Gold Coast Health hospital locations,” Acting Women, Newborn and Children Allied Health Lead Brooke Mitchell said.
“Having most of our team now in this building is really beneficial.”
Following a $1.2 million uplift, EPPICS now operates five days per week (previously two days per week), with an expanded team including an additional clinical nurse consultant, general practitioner, social worker, and the service’s first occupational therapist.
“Now we have the capacity to expand what we can offer and how many women we help,” Allied Health Lead Bridget Weeks said.
“It’s a great opportunity to explore what else we can do to help this group of patients.
“Ultimately, we're trying to offer a more individualised service, making sure we're addressing patients' specific needs while also identifying common patterns.”
Since launching the first-of-its-kind service in Queensland in 2024, more than 1,200 girls and women have accessed EPPICS.
Instead of focusing solely on diagnosis or surgery, the service brings together gynaecologists, pain specialists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, dietitians, psychologists, social workers, and clinical nurse consultants to treat the whole person – not just the condition.
“Whether someone has surgery or not, a big part of our role is helping women understand how to function with the condition in their day-to-day lives,” Bridget said.
“They still need to be able to work, look after children and have a life. A lot of that comes down to understanding how to manage pain, and that's different for everyone.
“For some people it's more about mental health support, while for others it's increasing physical activity or learning strategies to manage symptoms. Pain can hold people back in so many ways, so it's about identifying what support and understanding each patient needs to move forward.”
To learn more about the service, click here.
