Published: 12 January, 2016
A gtd healthcare GP practice has been rewarded for its delivery of fully inclusive healthcare services to its lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) patients.
Millbrook Medical Practice in Stalybridge received a Gold Pride in Practice Award in recognition of staff commitment to strengthening and developing the practice’s relationships with their LGB patients.
The Pride in Practice award, which is a quality assurance support service, is delivered by the LGBT Foundation and funded by gtd healthcare to work with its 11 GP practices across Greater Manchester.
Pauline McGonigle, practice manager at gtd healthcare’s Millbrook Medical Practice, said this is a fantastic achievement for everyone involved.
"All members of staff have embraced small but significant changes to the services we provide, such as introducing sexual orientation monitoring on new patient registration forms and asking inclusive questions during consultations,” she said.
"We have been working hard to deliver an all-encompassing service to LGB patients but we were keen to take on new information and learn how to make the practice more welcoming to LGB patients and how to encourage more lesbian and bisexual women and trans people with cervixes to take up cervical screen tests.”
Pride in Practice coordinator Laurence Webb, said, "I really enjoyed working with this practice as they were really keen to absorb new information and were very positive about making LGB people feel comfortable to be who they are during consultations. They were really on board with building good relationships with their LGB patients so they could provide them with the best possible care. I was delighted to be able to present them with a very well-deserved Gold award!”
The practice now receives regular LGB resources such as posters and safer sex packs, as well as information on specialist services, such as LGBT Foundation’s sexual health and wellbeing services, LGBT domestic abuse services and LGBT cancer support groups.
gtd healthcare is committed to working with and supporting the LGBT community. This is demonstrated through five of its GP practices receiving a Gold Pride in Practice Award and the remaining six practices are in the process of working towards achieving this standard.
