Pride in Practice is an award-winning programme endorsed by the Royal College of General Practitioners. It works with primary care services across the UK to improve the experiences of LGBTQ+ people accessing healthcare. The programme has worked with over 1,000 services nationally, but Gold remains the highest level of accreditation.
The accreditation process at Health E1 was led jointly by Practice Manager Mohammed Almahfuz from a non-clinical leadership perspective and Dr Kate Aldridge from a clinical side. The Gold award recognises the collective work of the entire Health E1 team.
As part of the programme, the team strengthened policies, completed specialist training on LGBTQ+ health needs and inclusion, and improved patient engagement to better meet the needs of LGBTQ+ communities. The work has helped build staff awareness, embed inclusive practice and ensure that LGBTQ+ patients feel respected and supported when accessing services.
For a service that supports some of the most vulnerable people in east London, many of whom already face significant barriers to healthcare, achieving Gold standard demonstrates a commitment to equitable access for everyone.
Mohammed Almahfuz said: "We are proud to receive this recognition. It reflects the whole team's commitment to keeping our services inclusive, welcoming and supportive, which aligns with our Trust values. We care, we respect and we are inclusive, and this award shows that in practice."
Pride in Practice provides expert training, practical tools and ongoing support to help primary care services tackle health inequalities faced by LGBTQ+ communities. LGBTQ+ people often experience barriers to healthcare that lead to poorer outcomes, and programmes like this help to break those barriers down.
Find out more about Pride in Practice on the LGBT Foundation website.
