Healthcare that Starts with Trust: Women’s Clinic at Fletcher Street Cottage

For women facing hardship, accessing healthcare can feel like one more difficult thing to navigate. The Women’s Clinic at Fletcher Street Cottage is making it easier to take that first step, with free, nurse-led care offered in a familiar and welcoming place.

The clinic runs every Tuesday from 1pm to 3pm, as part of Women’s Space. Women can drop in to talk with a nurse, ask questions and get support with next steps. Care includes health checks and education, wound care, medication support, help managing ongoing health conditions and referrals to other services.

A partnership built around women

The clinic is delivered by Byron Community Centre in partnership with OneBridge, whose nurses bring clinical care into the community setting of Fletcher Street Cottage.

For women who have experienced barriers to healthcare, a familiar place can make a real difference. They can connect with a nurse while also accessing the support and community of Women’s Space, without having to navigate an unfamiliar service alone.

“Many of the women who come to the clinic haven’t had easy access to healthcare for a long time. By being based in the Women’s Space, we’re able to offer care in a way that feels calm, familiar and respectful. It’s often the first step for women to talk about their health concerns, get checked and be supported into further care if they need it,” says Tracey Kristiansen, Program Lead and Peer Support Worker at OneBridge.

Healthcare at a woman’s pace

Women’s Space Coordinator and Community Support Worker Suzanne Flowerday sees how trust can grow through everyday connection. The clinic is part of a broader space where women are welcome to take their time and decide what support feels right for them.

“Women don’t always come in ready to talk about their health. Sometimes it starts with a cup of tea, a conversation or simply knowing the nurse is here. Having that support in a space they already know can help make healthcare feel more approachable,” says Suzanne.

The value of this approach is reflected in women’s own words. One woman shared: “I’ll come back next week because this doesn’t feel like a scary medical chat.”

Care that connects to ongoing support

From December 2025 to October 2026, OneBridge recorded 206 engagements at the clinic: 37 nursing consultations and 169 conversations and social support interactions. The clinic welcomed 28 new patients and recorded 42 health education activities, 14 health referrals and four care plans for complex chronic conditions.

These figures reflect more than appointments. They show the different ways women can connect with a nurse, ask questions and find support that works for them. When further care is needed, the clinic can help women connect with GPs, allied health, counselling and specialist services.

The clinic is supported by a grant from Healthy North Coast, alongside funding support from the Northern Rivers Community Foundation.

“Grant funding helped us bring dedicated nursing care into a trusted community setting and track how the service is being used. That evidence helps us understand what women need and work towards sustaining and strengthening access to healthcare,” says Milli Acton, Grants Officer at Byron Community Centre.

At Fletcher Street Cottage, the Women’s Clinic is built around a simple idea: healthcare should be easier to reach, and every woman deserves to be met with respect, care and understanding.

The Women’s Clinic is open every Tuesday from 1pm to 3pm at Fletcher Street Cottage, 18 Fletcher Street, Byron Bay. No appointment is needed. For more information, call (02) 6685 7830 or email fsc@byroncentre.com.au.

With thanks to our supporters

The Women’s Clinic is supported by a grant from Healthy North Coast through its Primary Care Impact Grants Chronic Disease Prevention Program, funded through the North Coast PHN Program.

We thank the Northern Rivers Community Foundation (NRCF) for supporting the Byron Women program and helping bring this care to women at Fletcher Street Cottage.