Canberra’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex and Queer community (LGBTIQ+) has been invited to offer feedback on how ACT health services can break down barriers to care for and improve the provision of services for LGBTIQ+ identifying people.
The ACT Health Directorate and the Office of LGBTIQ+ Affairs partnered with key LGBTIQ+ community stakeholders to develop the survey which the Minister for Health, Rachel Stephen-Smith said was aimed at identifying obstacles to care that members of the community may have experienced when accessing specific health services.
“The ACT aims to be the most LGBTIQ+ welcoming and inclusive jurisdiction in Australia,” Ms Stephen-Smith said.
“This means ensuring LGBTIQ+ people have equitable access to services and support that is both appropriate to individual experiences and responsive to specific needs across all stages of life,” she said.
“This work will help us address concerns of the LGBTIQ+ community when accessing public health services in the ACT, leading to more inclusive and accessible services for the LGBTIQ+ community.”
Ms Stephen-Smith said everyone in the community should be able to access the health care and support they needed, irrespective of sexual orientation, gender identity or other personal circumstances.
She said the key findings of the survey would be used to inform a new program of work that aligned with the Capital of Equality Strategy and commitments to improving health and wellbeing for LGBTIQ+ Canberrans.
“We’re conscious that LGBTIQ+ people get surveyed and asked about their experiences a lot,” Ms Stephen-Smith said.
“Co‑designing this survey with community stakeholders has been critical to ensuring that it reflects and respects what we have previously heard,” she said.
The survey will be open until 20 August and can be found at this PS News link.
