Rainbow Tick Accreditation

DPV Health is an inclusive organisation that celebrates the diversity of all people within our community.

We are an Accredited Rainbow Tick Organisation

We are committed to creating a positive work environment for our LGBTIQ community, employees, volunteers, and students. The LGBTIQ community includes people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and gender diverse, intersex, queer, and questioning.

We are proud to announce that DPV Health has achieved a Rainbow Tick Accreditation, which means that our health services are inclusive, safe and friendly for LGBTIQ service users and staff!

The Rainbow Tick Accreditation Program assesses organisations against standards developed by Rainbow Health Victoria. This accreditation is a way for our organisation to show the community that we are constantly improving the quality of care and service delivery for every member that we serve.

The journey of receiving the Rainbow Tick Accreditation has been insightful and will greatly help our organisation in making informed decisions with the utmost respect to our staff as well as community members from all walks of life.

View our LGBTIQ support and resources here.

Our Journey to Rainbow Tick Accreditation

The journey started in 2017 when an internal committee was set up to undertake a detailed needs analysis in consultation with the local LGBTIQ community and their allies. The aim of the needs analysis was to learn about the lived experience of LGBTIQ people in the area, to identify gaps in service delivery, and make recommendations for change. We completed this needs analysis in 2020, in the midst of COVID with over 151 community members that helped us by participating in this project.

The report not only contributed to our Rainbow Tick Accreditation but also identified part of our LGBTIQ population and their needs, enabling DPV Health to develop a Rainbow Tick Maturity plan that addresses the recommendations that were brought to light during this initiative.

The initiatives:

Over the 3-year period, the staff of DPV Health took key steps to address topics highlighted by the community members. Some of the initiatives included –

• Reviewed the DPV Health inclusion and diversity statement and values for consistency.
• Updated the Recruitment and Selection Procedure to ensure a merit-based, diverse, and inclusive workplace.
• Added LGBTIQ data-collection requirements to our upcoming Customer Relationship Management system.
• Included LGBTIQ representation in the Consumer Engagement Model.
• Included LGBTIQ specific questions on the DPV Health feedback form and Medical Centre admission form.
• Identified and developed staff governance structures to support inclusive practice, including Inclusion Champions and the LGBTIQ Employee Reference Group.
• Revision of our community platforms to bring in community voice to service planning and delivery including the Community Connectors and recruitment of LGBTIQ representatives into DOV Health Community Network.
• Launched the DPV Health Inclusion Strategy that guides the organisation to provide inclusive practices across the organisation.

Some of the crucial action points that we have been working on include:

• The ‘You Are Who You Say You Are: DPV Needs Analysis’ study- It is the first study of LGBTIQ communities and needs in Melbourne’s North. This report provides recommendations on support services, awareness, and training to improve services for LGBTIQ people.

The ‘You Are Who You Say You Are’ report findings will be shared at International Transgender Day of Visibility and IDAHOBIT Day forums in Hume and Whittlesea in 2021. The forums will advocate for a unified response to LGBTIQ health needs across DPV Health’s catchment and help determine the strategic direction of ensuring culturally safe and inclusive health services.

• Staff training- DPV Health employees have completed an online inclusion-training program, including a module about the needs and experiences of LGBTIQ people. The training features the perspectives of people from diverse backgrounds, information on inclusive language as well as the use of correct pronouns and names to ensure that everyone feels welcomed.
• DPV Health sites are safe spaces- Our survey and report found that LGBTIQ community often felt a lack of connection to their community in their workplace and other settings. Therefore, DPV Health has committed to visibility using symbols, events, and public support.