LBGTIQA+ people encompass all races and ethnicities, religions, and social classes all over the world however, finding a health care environment that is supportive and welcoming can, unfortunately, be difficult for many of our diverse patients.
Our clinicians at Edgeworth Family Practice believe that all our patients are unique and therefore require individualised holistic health care. No matter what your preferences are or the gender you identify with, you are welcome here.
Edgeworth Family Practice is proud to be registered with ACON’s “Welcome Here Project” to provide quality health care that is welcoming and inclusive.
The Edgeworth Family Practice Difference
- We WILL record your preferred name and pronouns and we will use them
- We will remind you about recommended preventative health checks at your booked appointments, as we do for all our patients, however, we will NOT make every appointment about your gender
- We do not require you to “fit into a box”. Your healthcare should be as individual and beautifully unique as you are.
- We understand that we will never completely understand your individual challenges, but we will listen, we will respect you, we will care, we will support you and we will take care of you the best we can
Tips for healthcare for our LBGTIQA+ patients
- If you are well, book a check-up at least every 12 months. A BP check, blood test, and skin check are a great idea as they can highlight risk factors or early signs of a whole range of health issues.
- If you are sexually active, book an appointment with our Sexual and Reproductive Health Nurse annually for a routine STI check.
- Get vaccinated! Influenza, Tetanus, Diptheria & Pertussis (whooping cough), Hepatitis B and Measles, Mumps & Rubella should be checked for currency as many people are not aware of their immunity status.
- Practice body awareness – know your body well so you can easily detect changes and report changes promptly to your Doctor or Nurse. Examples of things for EVERYONE to check include:
- That you don’t have any changes to your skin (click here for information on how to check your skin)
- Checking that your bowel habits are consistent and reporting any changes promptly
- That you are urinating normally, without a burning sensation or pain, bleeding and flow (stopping/starting)
- Ensuring there are no lumps, bumps, or discharge from your genitals
- Check-in with yourself emotionally – are you coping well?
- Body awareness specific to anatomy (we have used common names for anatomy but recognise you may use different ones) may include:
- Ensuring your testes do not develop any new lumps or changes (click here for information on how to check your testes)
- Routine Cervical Screening tests for patients 25 years and over who have a cervix
- Ensuring no unusual lumps or changes develop on your chest or breasts, under your arms, or anywhere else on the body (click here for information on breast awareness)
- Attend daily pelvic floor exercises, particularly if you have internal reproductive organs (click here for instructions on how to attend)
- Consider HIV PreP if you are a man (cis or trans) having sex with other men
- Health Assessments – Bulk billed comprehensive health assessments are available annually to patients who are Indigenous or >75 years, or a once-off assessment between the ages of 45 and 49.
If you have any health concerns you would like to discuss, book to see one of our Doctors or Nurses now.
Useful links for our LGBTIQA+ patients
