Lived experience panel members: Ross Bell, Teresa Savage, Jess Hooley, Darby Carr, Aunty Kooncha
Ageing Well: LGBTIQ+ Health Symposium 2025 Community members, researchers,
“As a society, huge problems experienced by LGBTIQ+ people are endemic to society. Loneliness needs to be conquered, and connection is important,” he said. Another panellist added, “Recognising intersectionality in health care is important. Visibility, being recognised and accepted goes a long way.” One participant summed up the need for continued progress. “There needs to be a lot of innovation in terms of psychological care,” she said. Elizabeth Wood, Deputy Secretary, Health System Strategy and Patient Experience at NSW Health, reminded attendees that listening is not a formality but the foundation for reform. “It’s not just about identity - it’s about safety, dignity, and being recognised in all the ways we’ve lived and loved,” she said. The discussions will help shape NSLHD’s next steps in co-designing inclusive models of care with the LGBTIQ+ community - ensuring real change is guided by those with lived experience.
clinicians, and advocates came together for the inaugural NSLHD LGBTIQ+ Health Symposium – Healthy Ageing, a forum exploring what inclusive, person-centred care looks like for older LGBTIQ+ people. Hosted by Northern Sydney Local Health District, the event featured insights from Dr Ruby Grant, Dr Meaghan Vosz, and Dr Louisa Smith, with contributions from ACON, InterAction, and LGBTIQ+ Health Australia. The forum also highlighted powerful lived- experience perspectives, reinforcing the importance of connection, dignity, and representation in care. NSLHD Chief Executive Anthony Schembri opened the event, emphasising the need to focus on ageing in LGBTIQ+ communities. “Older LGBTIQ+ adults are twice as likely to be socially isolated and may avoid services out of fear of discrimination,” he said. Lived experience speaker Ross Bell shared that problems experienced by ageing LGBTIQ+ populations are experienced nationwide.
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