Volunteers win state award

When organisers of Peninsula Health’s GLBTIQ Community Advisory Group (CAG) called for volunteers last year, they didn’t expect the spectrum of ideas that would flourish.

A group of 25 volunteers, from young adults through to retirees from the LGBTI community, were honoured last week with the Outstanding Team Achievement Award for the 2012 Minister for Health Volunteer Awards.

The CAG is one of 14 groups which help inform the health service of specific community needs on the Peninsula.

The group was commended for its high level of commitment to addressing key issues in health services that affected local LGBTIQ people.

Peninsula Health’s director of complex services and GLBTIQ CAG chairman Simon Ruth said the group was thrilled with the award.

“It’s nice recognition for the team of volunteers who put in time to the GLBTIQ community advisory group,” he said.

“We set it up a bit over a year ago and we weren’t sure what would come out of that committee, we didn’t know what the community would want.”

But he said the group had developed a range of ideas to improve health services for same-sex attracted and gender diverse people.

Suggestions have included working with local doctors to create better access to HIV medication, instead of people living with HIV having to travel into Melbourne.

Transgender needs have also been raised surrounding the issue of gender-based wards, especially in mental health.

Ruth said even simple policy changes had been implemented such as how gender was recorded or whether people wanted different names recorded in case of an emergency.

“They come in as their chosen gender but they want their old name to be recorded because their family may use that name if they ring up,” he said.

Due to the improvements to health services across the Peninsula, the group organised a health and wellbeing forum in April, attended by more than 100 people, to educate LGTBI people about what they can expect from their health services and about their rights.

More than 1000 team and individual volunteers were nominated for this year’s awards.

Health Minister David Davis said the breadth of volunteer work was truly inspiring.

“We are a fortunate community, where volunteers of all backgrounds, ages and interests are committed and passionate in their care for others,” he said.

PICTURED: Health Minister David Davis (left), Peninsula Health’s Simon Ruth (right) and CAG members Carmel Frazer Stewart and Greg Axtens.