Statement on impact of COVID-19: health alliance - LGBTIQ+ Health Australia

Statement on Impact of COVID-19: LGBTIQ+ Health Australia

After consideration of the current advice that is being provided with regard to coronavirus and ways to reduce transmission, LGBTIQ+ Health Australia, the national peak health organisation in Australia for organisations and individuals that provide health-related programs, services and research focused on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex people (LGBTI) and other sexuality, gender, and bodily diverse people and communities, has decided to:

  1. Cancel all planned and group consultations, LGBTIQ+ Health Australia meetings and trainings
  2. Assess all travel requirements to external stakeholder meetings and events on a case by case basis
  3. Ensure all LGBTIQ+ Health Australia staff will work from home

These changes will remain in place indefinitely and we will monitor the changes in the response daily.

These decisions were not taken lightly and we recognise that many of the community members that we work with are at elevated risk of COVID-19 due to the burden of chronic diseases, ageing and disability. The pressure on our health system is immense and we must all contribute to reducing infections.

Our important work continues across ageing and aged care, disability, mental health and suicide prevention and contingency plans are underway to ensure that our consultations meetings and trainings continue where possible online or by teleconference. We are working hard to minimise any detrimental impact and work very much within a business as usual model.

We thank you for your patience as we implement these changes and recognise that further amendments to how we approach our work are likely to continue in the coming days and weeks.

Up to date information on coronavirus is available here from the Commonwealth Department of Health

The pressure on our health system is immense and we must all contribute to reducing infections.

Our important work continues across ageing and aged care, disability, mental health and suicide prevention and LGBTI health more broadly. Please see the regularly updated LGBTIQ+ Health Australia Program and Policy here.

Please see our referral pages for COVID-19:

If you are experiencing distress and would like to talk with someone on the phone or over the web, then please call QLife on 1800 184 527 or go to www.qlife.org.au 

Download the statement



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ABOUT LGBTIQ+ Health Australia
LGBTIQ+ Health Australia, (formerly the National LGBTI Health Alliance), is the national peak health organisation in Australia for organisations and individuals that provide health-related programs, services and research focused on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer people and other sexuality, gender and bodily diverse (LGBTIQ+) people and communities. Dropping the “+” from our name only occurs within digital formats that do not allow mathematical symbols, such as within our domain name, handles and hashtags.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY
LGBTIQ+ Health Australia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of country throughout Australia, their diversity, histories and knowledge and their continuing connections to land and community. We pay our respects to all Australian Indigenous Peoples and their cultures, and to Elders of past and present.