Rural LGBT communities still lack adequate health services and face limited access to the same level of help offered in urban areas of Australia, a health services executive has said.
Country Awareness Network (CAN) Executive Officer Adam Wright said it depended on location and circumstances as ‘some regions may be blessed and have great services while others may be completely different.’
‘We’ve found quite often, rural-regional communities are under resourced and have limited access to the same services in metropolitan areas,’ Wright said.
Wright came to the defence of current services though, having said ‘there is a lot of good work being done out there.’
To address the shortfalls in regional LGBT health and wellbeing, the Victorian-based Take Care Out Back There program is holding its first forum this month.
Nestled in the regional north of Victoria, the conference will take place in the town of Beechworth over September 2, 3 and 4.
Wright said one of the aims was to raise the profile of services out there and identify where some gaps may lie.
The Fishbowl Syndrome, as Wright describes it, is just one of the obstacles facing regional gender and sexuality diverse people in tight-knit regional communities where absolute confidentiality may prove difficult.
‘While services may provide confidentiality and privacy, it’s sometimes that preconceived idea that “I don’t want to go there, I might know someone at the reception,‒ Wright said.
‘So far we have a whole range of streams (of ideas) … directed to clinical services including sexual health testing, helping clinical providers with the needs of gay men and lesbians in their services.
‘We’re definitely highlighting how to make these (services) more accessible and gay-friendly and how health services can improve on this.’
As this lack in the confidentiality of services remains, another issue surrounds the anonymity of social support groups in the bush.
Simply, people in need of support may not know help is out there.
‘There are some great services in the country but it’s about raising the profile and taking that extra step where so much of the country is word-of-mouth, so much through referral,’ Wright said.
‘There are quite often no gay venues and once again, one of our challenges is of promoting things.
‘It’s quite easy if you have a campaign of syphilis rates advertised at gay bars and venues but if you are out in the country where there are no venues, how do you do that?
‘Some are lucky to have social support groups, they may have a coffee night or a dance party or a barbeque, so we are also hoping to engage them a little.’
Group funding, social networking, safety and gender diversity will also be dealt with during the forum; however, the service executive said action would be the ideal result.
‘It is great to have a talkfest about the gaps there are, but it’s another thing to take action and improve that, so we hope to follow up on that,’ Wright said.
‘I’m hoping at the end of this forum, we’ll have a list of actions we can follow in another year or so.
‘Forums like this make sure LGBT communities don’t fall short.’
For more information on rural services and assistance, check out www.takecare.org.au
Benn Dorrington
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