LGBTQIA+ Health and Inclusive Healthcare

This collection of resources aim to support GP supervisors in their teaching and supervision of registrars who are providing medical services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and non-binary, queer, intersex, asexual and other (LGBTQIA+) patients in general practice. 

Diverse sexual orientation, gender identity and sex characteristics are all included in the LGBTQIA+ acronym. A Standard for Sex, Gender, Variations of Sex Characteristics and Sexual Orientation Variables has been produced by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) in 2020 and provides a useful starting point of terms for clinicians to gain an understanding of the appropriate terminology.

The Victorian Government LGBTQIA+ Inclusive Language Guide expands on the above definitions

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Teaching LGBTQIA+ inclusive healthcare provides confidence and competence in your registrar’s ability to deliver appropriate care. A GP or practice nurse may be the first person someone talks to about their emerging diverse sexual orientation or gender identity, and this could happen at any age. Having a health professional who affirms their identity can be very therapeutic.

There are two major reasons for making the effort to know about an individual patient’s LGBTQIA+ status in clinical practice:

It provides a more holistic context about the life of that person, which is often desired by patients.
There are major health disparities for LGBTQIA+ people that require our attention and care.

LGBTQIA+ inclusive care requires a whole of practice approach, so that the person’s journey through the clinic is safe. Encouraging disclosure of LGBTQIA+ identities starts at the front door, as they need to feel they will be acknowledged and supported. This is particularly important for LGBTQIA+ patients who may have experienced negative attitudes from healthcare providers in the past.

In helping to create an inclusive environment, there are a range of readily available Australian tools to assist. One example is the Rainbow Tick, an accreditation program and framework for planning and implementing organisational change to facilitate LGBTQIA+ inclusive services. Another is the Pride in Health online benchmarking. Intersex community organisations offer the ‘Yellow Tick’ to improve understanding of the health needs of people with intersex variations.

  • Contraception, fertility, and pregnancy
  • Sexual Health
  • STIs
  • Smoking, Alcohol, and Drug Use
  • Cancer screening
  • Mental health
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Date reviewed: 26 July 2024

Please note that while reasonable care is taken to provide accurate information at the time of creation, we frequently update content and links as needed. If you identify any inconsistencies or broken links, please let us know by email.
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