North Kirklees GP practice strikes gold
Photo: Nick Gwatkin holds award with members of the practice team, CCG staff and Claudia Carvell from LGBT Foundation.
Blackburn Road Medical Centre has become the first GP practice in Kirklees to be awarded a gold award under a national pilot that brings the ‘Pride in Practice’ programme to the district.
The scheme, part of a pilot funded by the Government Equalities Office, co-ordinated by NHS North Kirklees and NHS Greater Huddersfield Clinical Commissioning Groups and delivered by LGBT Foundation, aims to strengthen the relationship between GP practices and their lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT) patients.
Pride in Practice is a service, co-produced by communities, clinicians and commissioners. Pride in Practice works in partnership with practice staff to better meet the needs of their LGBT patients and empowers LGBT community members to work with health professionals and find shared solutions to barriers, ensuring patient voice and lived experience is at the centre of the programme.
The programme includes myth-busting training, support to deliver effective active signposting and social prescribing for LGBT communities, and ongoing support.
12 GP practices in Kirklees have registered to undertake the programme and are progressing with their training.
Nick Gwatkin, Business Manager for Blackburn Road Medical Centre said: “We’re delighted to receive the gold award. I’m incredibly proud of the whole team who have embraced the training. The NHS is by us for us, and it’s important we take the time to educate ourselves so that we can better support our community.”
Kelly Collins, Practice Nurse added: “Completing the training has given us confidence when we do assessments and consultations with LGBT patients. We want our patients to feel at ease with us and know that we understand their needs.”
Pride in Practice supports the CCGs shared equality objectives which include improving access to GP practices for LGBT patients. The priorities have been developed with local people and health and social care partners in Kirklees.
Penny Woodhead, Chief Quality and Nursing Officer, for the CCGs said:
“We’re really pleased to see Blackburn Road Medical Centre achieve gold accreditation. Their commitment to effectively and confidently meet the needs of LGBT patients now leads the way for other practices in Kirklees.
“As a CCG we aim to commission health services that give protected groups equal access, experiences and outcomes. Supporting practices to achieve the Pride in Practice award is one way we are doing this.”
Claudia Carvell, Business Development Manager for Pride in Practice said: “We are proud to have supported Blackburn Road Medical Centre to achieve the first gold accreditation in Kirklees, and to welcome them into a community of practices nationally who are working with us on LGBT inclusion and access in primary care.”
The Pride in Practice programme is endorsed and informed by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, Royal College of General Practitioners, Care Quality Commission, and the Government Equalities Office.