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Ministerial Advisory Committee on Gay and Lesbian Health
Page content: Background | Terms
of reference | Workplan
Background
The Ministerial Advisory Committee on Gay and Lesbian Health (MACGLH) provides
advice to the Minister for Health and the Department of Human Services (DHS)
on matters relating to the health and wellbeing of gay, lesbian, bisexual,
transgender and intersex (GLBTI) Victorians. The MACGLH is one of a number
of expert bodies that provide advice to Government on the health and well being
of socially marginalised and disadvantaged groups. The MACGLH is representative
of the Government's commitment to valuing and encouraging diversity and to
extending to all Victorians the rights to participate fully in the social and
political life of the State.
Terms of reference
The MACGLH's terms of reference are to:
- Promote and support the health and wellbeing of gay men and lesbian women
across Victoria.
- Ensure optimal access to all relevant mainstream and, where appropriate,
specialist health services.
The terms of reference include the health concerns of bisexual, trans and
intersex Victorians insofar as they overlap with those of gay men and lesbians.
The Committee's key tasks include:
- Consultation with the gay and lesbian community to identify priority health
concerns and key issues relating to utilisation of the health system;
- The development of an action plan on gay and lesbian health issues for
the consideration of the Minister for Health and the Department of Human
Services.
- Monitoring the implementation of initiatives arising from the action plan
and from other government programs that relate to the health of the gay and
lesbian community
- Providing advice on broader government-led public health, health promotion
and health service development strategies from the perspective of the gay
and lesbian community and, where appropriate, facilitate consultation with
the community on these strategies.
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The MACGLH's work plan
Completed tasks
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A preliminary DHS policy and program audit to gauge the degree to which
GLBTI health and wellbeing needs are being addressed (completed in 2001)
- A coordinated four-stage GLBTI community consultation process conducted
between April 2000 and November 2002
Stage 1 – Ongoing consultations with Victoria’s GLBTI
communities to identify priority health concerns and key issues relating
to their use of health services.
Stage 2 – A series of state-wide GLBTI community forums seeking
feedback on research papers commissioned by DHS on behalf of the MACGLH
addressing the major health issues facing GLBTI Victorians.
Stage 3 – Consultation with Victorian GLBTI health service providers,
research institutes and community organisations on a draft of the Victorian
GLBTI health and well-being action plan.
Stage 4 – The production and distribution of a Victorian GLBTI
health and wellbeing action plan.
- The publication and distribution of What's
the difference? Health issues of major concern to gay, lesbian, bisexual,
transgender and intersex (GLBTI) Victorians, an edited collection of the research
papers commissioned by DHS on behalf the MACGLH. The publication includes
papers on physical, sexual and mental health and on life stage and drug
and alcohol issues
- The publication of Health
and sexual diversity: A health and wellbeing action plan for gay, lesbian,
bisexual, transgender and intersex (GLBTI) Victorians.
Current and future tasks
-
Provide advice and assistance to DHS and Government on the implementation
of the recommendations listed in the Victorian GLBTI health and wellbeing
action plan
-
Provide advice on the establishment and running of the Gay and Lesbian
Health and Wellbeing Resource Unit
-
Liaise with and provide advice on GLBTI health and wellbeing to other
Government advisory bodies
-
Continue to provide advice to the Minister for Health, DHS and Government
on a range of GLBTI issues and projects as requested
-
Provide strategic advice to government bodies in other states regarding
GLBTI health and wellbeing.
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