Valuing Diversity
At Northeast Health we are aiming to improve accessibility, safety and inclusion for the LGBTQIA+ community, and allies, and that they feel valued and respected (whether or not they disclose).
LGBTQIA+ refers to lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and gender diverse, queer, intersex and asexual individuals, with the ‘+’ acknowledging that the acronym doesn’t include the entire range of sex, sexuality and gender diversity within the community.
As a patient/client of NHW, you have the right to:
- Access to services to meet your healthcare needs,
- Receive safe and high-quality health services,
- Respect is shown to you and your culture, beliefs, values and personal characteristics,
- Receive open, timely and appropriate communication about your healthcare in a way you can understand, and
- Participate alongside medical professionals to make decisions about your own care.
What the staff at NHW will do:
- Treat you with respect and dignity,
- Ensure your details are kept confidential,
- Not make assumptions,
- Ask about sexual orientation, gender identity or intersex status when relevant to your care,
- Only ask about surgical history, physical health and medication when clinically relevant, and ask for your permission when documenting this,
- Ask who it is ok to share your personal information with (for example, when referrals are made, handover to other staff members),
- Speak up against discrimination, homophobia, biphobia, transphobia and intersexism, and
- Value and celebrate diversity.
How you can help:
- Be respectful of LGBTQIA+ staff, and use their pronouns,
- Please be patient with new staff developing their inclusive language skills,
- Be respectful of other patients and families who identify as LGBTIQA+ and help to ensure everyone feels safe,
- If you witness others in the hospital using discriminatory language, please report the incident to a staff member if safe to do so, otherwise please use the complaints information below.
Building on our organisational values of caring, excellence, respect, integrity and fairness, we’re committed to improving and working towards inclusive practice for LGBTQIA+ patients, carers, visitors and staff.
What we want you to know:
- We will accept and respect your gender identity
- We will use the pronouns you tell us.
- We will do our best to make sure any referrals we make on your behalf are to services or organisations that are LGBTQIA+ friendly.
- No one at NHW is allowed to make homophobic, transphobic, biphobic or intersexist comments, or discriminate against you in any way.
- A staff member will intervene if they see or hear you being treated unfairly and will check that you’re ok.
- If you experience anything that makes you uncomfortable – you can make a complaint that will be investigated.
How do I give feedback?
Providing you with safe, high-quality health care service is very important to us. We value any feedback about our service, whether it be a suggestion, a complaint or a compliment.
You can:
- Speak with a staff member
- Phone (03) 5722 5202
- Email feedback@nhw.org.au
- Write to:
Manager Consumer Experience
Northeast Health Wangaratta
PO Box 386, Wangaratta VIC 3676
More information
Your Rights – Information for LGBTQIA patients carers and visitors.pdf
NHW LGBTQIA+ Action Plan 2020-2023.pdf
For more information about LGBTQIA+ inclusion at NHW, please email diversity@nhw.org.au