06 May 2024Pride is an understatement, when it comes to the recent announcement that St Vincent’s Health Network was the recipient of Service Provider of the Year as awarded by ACONS’s Pride in Health and Wellbeing Index.The Awards recognise individual and organisational initiatives aimed at improving LGBTQI inclusion within health and wellbeing organisations across Australia.The Awards showcase the results of the Pride in Health + Wellbeing Index – a free national benchmarking instrument used to assess LGBTQ+ inclusion within the Australian health, wellbeing and human services sector.This is the first time in the history of the Pride in Health and Wellbeing Index that any service has achieved 100% in the criteria index.ACON’s National Health Lead, Francisco Lopez was on-hand to present the awards, joking that now that St Vincent’s had reached 100%, they would have to set the bar higher.In addition, Dr Lisa Raven was awarded winner of the LGBTQ+ Ally Award. This nomination recognises the outstanding contribution of an individual who doesn’t identify as LGBTQ+, but who has made a significant contribution to LGBTQ+ inclusion and celebrates Lisa’s contribution to ensuring St Vincent’s is a safe and welcoming place for sexuality and gender diverse people, in both clinical and corporate spaces.She’s part of a dedicated Pride Network who are always advocating for equity, fairness and inclusion across our services, for staff, patients and clients and without them, none of these Awards would be possible.Congratulations to all involved.