Tasmania needs a special inclusive health and mental health service to take care of a LGBTIQA-plus clientele, an upper house inquiry into rural health in the state has heard.
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Equality Tasmania president Rodney Croome told a Legislative Council committee on Wednesday that the need was particularly evident during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic when a specialist service based in Melbourne was flooded with enquiries from Tasmanians.
"LGBTQ-plus people clearly want to access a service that they know for sure, without any doubt, is either very inclusive or preferably a specialist service," he said.
"It's not enough that we simply train all health professionals - I mean, we do do need to do that - but that's not enough."
Mr Croome envisaged such a service could be based in Hobart with outreach to regional health centres.
He said it could also provide training to other regional health care providers.
Mr Croome said the concept had been discussed with a number of Hobart health care professionals and it was possible it could be funded by both private and government money.
"We're already moving as a community in that direction of specialists services that can provide outreach across the state, he said.
"That seems to be where we are going because the need is so great."
The University of Tasmania recently published results of the largest ever survey of LGBTIQA-plus Tasmanians.
Lead researcher Ruby Grant said a majority of LGBTIQA-plus Tasmanians reported positive experiences through engagement with health professionals, however, there was a concerning number that reported a sense of discomfort or feeling unwelcome during consultations.
"But then especially we do see instances of feeling either, being outwardly discriminated against," she said.
"And I think anticipated stigma can be a real barrier."
Dr Grant said in relation to gender affirmation services, the state's health profession needed to better understand and accept transgender, non-binary and other gender diverse Tasmanians.
"It varies from place to place as to how much people either know about this community or who support or even just validate that these people's concerns are real," she said.
Dr Grant said national research indicated LGBTIQA-plus people had found telehealth services useful and something they increasingly wanted to access, though Tasmanian research showed LGBTIQA-plus people preferred a face-to-face service.
"There's definitely definitely big parts of the community who would really benefit from telehealth options," she said.
Political reporter for Australian Community Media, based in Hobart.
Political reporter for Australian Community Media, based in Hobart.
