Newcastle health services provider, Hunter Primary Care, recognised for inclusive health service provision to LGBTQ+ community

LGBTQ+ individuals commonly experience poorer health outcomes across a variety of psychosocial risk factors, and across the spectrum of mental, physical and social wellbeing outcomes.

Research indicates that they often actively avoid care services out of fear of discrimination and in many instances, have experienced discrimination in the past.

ACON Australia, through its Pride in Health + Wellbeing program, has developed a tool for organisations to allow them to measure the inclusiveness of their service delivery for the LGBTQ+ community.

The Health and Wellbeing Equality Index (HWEI) provides a platform for organisations to annually review their work, demonstrating competency and best practice, and ensuring this is embedded into quality improvement systems.

Additionally it allows service providers to benchmark their inclusion work against the rest of their sector and to identify areas where a greater focus on LGBTQ+ inclusion is needed.

Hunter Primary Care received a Bronze Service Provider Recognition on the HWEI at the recent Pride in Health and Wellbeing Awards for their LGBTQ+ inclusion activity over the previous year.

Acting CEO, Keith Drinkwater, said “I am so proud to be the Acting CEO of an organisation that has achieved this recognition. We still have a way to go on our journey, but this award is reflective of Hunter Primary Care’s commitment to being an inclusive service provider that affirms, supports and celebrates our LGBTQ+ staff and the LGBTQ+ community”.

“As a provider of health and wellbeing services to vulnerable people in the community, we see firsthand that people who identify as LGBTQ+ are more likely to suffer from depression, anxiety, substance abuse or homelessness, and the suicide rate is higher for people in this community. This is we joined ACON’s Pride in Health & Wellbeing program in 2020, so we could further contribute to the wellbeing of LGBTQ+ people through the provision of safe and inclusive services”.

Read more about the Pride in Health + Wellbeing Awards 2024 here.

Find out more about the Pride in Health + Wellbeing program and how it can support organisations within the Health and Human Services sector to improve their LGBTQ inclusion in the services they provide and within their workforce at https://www.prideinclusionprog...