LGBTIQA+ Care

Inclusive Healthcare for Every Body

We provide compassionate, expert care tailored to the unique health needs of LGBTIQA+ individuals. Our team is committed to creating a safe, respectful, and supportive space where you can access the care you deserve.

Whether you’re curious about your sexuality, trying to better understand your sexuality or gender, fully gender affirmed, have an innate variation of sex characteristics (intersex) or anything else – it is important to have a doctor (GP or General Practitioner) or be linked to a health service that you feel confident and comfortable with.

At East Canberra General Practice, we recognise that many in the LGBTIQA+ community have historically experienced barriers in accessing the health care they need. Hence, we strive to create an inclusive and safe environment for all patients and this includes those who identify as part of the LGBTIQA+ community.

Our LGBTIQ+ Care Services

  • Gender affirmation is an umbrella term for the range of actions and possibilities involved in living, surviving, and thriving as every individual trans person’s authentic gendered self. What gender affirmation looks like for every individual trans person is unique and based on what is personally affirming, what feels safe to do, and what is accessible and available. 

    East Canberra General Practice doctors support an informed consent of gender affirming medical care that is individualised and recognises trans people’s diverse lived experiences with their body and gender affirming care journey, and in which the patient is empowered to work in partnership with our GP, rather than being led through a series of compulsory steps​ (AusPATH, 2024)​. 

    Medical affirmation describes forms of affirmation patients might do with the help of doctors or health professionals. Medical affirmation will look different for every trans person. For some people this will involve hormone blockers, or taking either masculinising hormones like testosterone, or feminising hormones like estrogen and progesterone. It is important to remember that hormones don’t have a gender, only people have those ​(TransHub, n.d.)​. 

  • STI Screening 

    Getting a sexual health test is a simple and effective way to take care of yourself and your sexual partner/s. Everyone who has sex with casual sexual partners should have a sexual health check at least once a year.  

    Not all STIs have noticeable symptoms – the only way to be sure is to get a sexual health test.  

    PrEP 

    Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) is a preventive medication to protect you from contracting HIV. People who are HIV-negative can take PrEP to reduce their risk of HIV infection. Many studies have confirmed that PrEP is more than 99% effective at preventing HIV transmission when taken as directed ​(Health Equity Matters, 2024)​. 

    People at risk of HIV are eligible for PrEP, including sexually active gay and bisexual, and men who have sex with men and transgender people, and anyone who has sexual partners of unknown HIV status, or from countries with a high incidence of HIV. 

    For more information about PrEP and sexual health see: Meridian ACT 

    If you have more questions about getting a STI Screening or PrEP feel free to book an appointment with one of our friendly GPs. 

  • Comprehensive care that respects your identity and individual health needs.

  • Item descriptionWe know that there are reasons why people may want to self-test for HIV in the privacy of their own home. You might feel embarrassed about seeing a doctor or health worker to ask for an HIV test. Talking about getting an HIV test may raise issues that you don’t feel comfortable talking about yet. You might like the convenience of testing at home rather than making an appointment to see someone. You might think that you don’t have much of a risk of having caught HIV but you just want to be sure. You don’t want to pay for the cost of a consultation.

    Whatever the reason, there is now a cost-free option for you. Log on to this site and follow the instructions. https://hivtest.au/

    If you have a positive or equivocal result, you need to make sure you get confirmatory testing and follow up with a health worker. The HIV test website had a list of health services you can use. You can also approach us to see of one of our doctors who have been trained to provide HIV care. YOU MUST NOT IGNORE A POSITIVE OR EQUIVOCAL RESULT.

Our inclusive healthcare specialists provide respectful, expert care tailored to your needs.

Experience expert care in an inclusive environment.

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