Labor would provide health workers with training to care for LGBTIQA+ Australians in a $10m package to upskill doctors and nurses alongside a new accreditation program, the health minister, Mark Butler, has said.
The election promise, to be announced on Monday, would see Labor contract a training provider to design programs to train healthcare workers to help give “inclusive, culturally safe primary care” for gay, lesbian and gender-diverse Australians.
“A re-elected Albanese Labor Government will continue to work in partnership with the LGBTIQA+ community to improve inclusive care nationwide,” Butler said.
The minister’s office said that after the election Labor wouldopen a competitive grants process to choose a training provider. It is understood the exact details of the course, and what specific issues or factors it would address, would be contingent on the program designed by the successful provider.
The government pointed to related health announcements – including grants for health services, greater data collection, health and medical research, efforts to address HIV transmission, mental health supports and expanding IVF access – in making the announcement.
Labor said it would also introduce a voluntary accreditation program “so that healthcare providers can be recognised for meeting best practice for LGBTIQA+ care, helping patients identify safe and trusted services”.
“I am proud of the strides we’ve taken in our first term of government, from securing PrEP during supply shortages, to investing in medical research and delivering the first ever LGBTIQA+ Health Action Plan,” Butler said.
The assistant health minister, Ged Kearney, said the funding would aim to “break down the barriers that prevent too many LGBTIQA+ Australians from getting the care they need”.
The Health Equity Matters chief executive, Dash Heath-Paynter, said a focus on providing appropriate care for gender- and sexuality-diverse Australians was “vital”.
“With higher-than-normal rates of mental and physical health challenges, this funding directly addresses critical barriers to care,” Heath-Paynter said.
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He said training and accreditation would help create settings where “people can seek treatment without fear of discrimination or stigma”.
LGBTIQ+ Health Australia’s chair, Carolyn Gillespie, said a lack of inclusivity could be a barrier to seeking care.
“Building the capacity of primary care to ensure LGBTIQA+ people have equitable access is greatly needed,” she said.
“It is critical that this commitment supports LGBTIQA+ community-controlled health and wellbeing organisations to play a central role so that ongoing meaningful relations with Primary Health Networks can be enhanced and sustained.”