As Pride Month kicks off, Wide Bay Hospital and Health Service (WBHHS) is displaying its commitment to LGBTIQ+ inclusivity through its support for the Welcome Here Project.
The Welcome Here Project is focused on creating and promoting environments that are visibly welcoming of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ+) communities.
WBHHS Chief Executive Debbie Carroll said the Welcome Here Project aligned with the organisation’s values of kindness, respect, and inclusivity.
“We’re happy to be part of the Welcome Here Project, showing our ongoing commitment to providing inclusive care to every person who comes into contact with our mental health service,” Ms Carroll said.
“It’s crucial that everyone feels safe and respected when they access health services including mental health care. Regardless of your sexual orientation or gender identity, you are welcome at our health service.
“Through our involvement in the Welcome Here Project, we aim to improve our staff’s understanding of consumers with LGBTIQ+ backgrounds and provide better access to quality healthcare for everyone.”
To show its support, Wide Bay Mental Health and Specialised Services consumer engagement facilitator Ruth O’Sullivan said their team is rolling out colourful signage and displaying the Welcome Here Charter at the entries of the mental health sites across the Wide Bay to signify their support of LGBTIQ+ community members.
“Our goal is to create an environment where everyone feels comfortable seeking the care they need on their healthcare journey, without fear of discrimination or stigma,” Ms O’Sullivan said.
“We’re committed to improving our services to meet the specific needs of our diverse consumers. As a mental health team we felt it was important to show our commitment to supporting our LGBTIQ+ consumers.
“By publicly displaying our support for Welcome Here we’re stating that our mental health sites will be inclusive, equal, and diverse as we support LGBTIQ+ people throughout their healthcare journey. We also know we can keep improving, so the signage also shows we’re willing to listen, learn and respond to the feedback of the LGBTIQ+ community.”
Find out more about Welcome Here Project by clicking here.
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