Skip to content

BPSO

What does it mean to be designated as a Best Practice Spotlight Organization? Hear former Board of Health Chair Anne Warren at our Designation Celebration in 2017.

The Health Unit chose to implement the RNAO Best Practice Guideline Promoting 2LGBTQ+ Health Equity to ensure our practices and services are provided in a person-centred manner, inclusive of all our community members. Specifically we have worked to implement the following recommendations from this guideline:

1. The expert panel recommends that health providers use 2SLGBTQI+ inclusive language and a person-centred history taking approach, and ensure privacy and confidentiality during interactions with all people, to be inclusive of 2SLGBTQI+ people. Inclusive language is to be used throughout the whole care process.

  • EX from the Infant Feeding Webpage:
    The Health Unit recognizes that not all breastfeeding parents identify as mothers. The terms “mother” and “parent” are used interchangeably in our language. The term “breastfeeding” refers to direct feeding from the breast by a parent of any gender identity or expression. Some parents may identify as “chestfeeding” rather than breastfeeding. The Health Unit respects gender-inclusive language used by parents.”

2. The expert panel recommends that health-service organizations implement 2SLGBTQI+ inclusive signage, forms and documentation.

  • EX: Sexual Health clinic intake forms

3. The expert panel recommends health-service organizations create safer spaces for 2SLGBTQI+ people through a multi-component approach.

4. The expert panel recommends that health-service organizations provide affirming 2SLGBTQI+ continuing education for all health providers.

The Health Unit continues to spread these best practice guideline recommendations to the entire organization using an equity, diversity and inclusion lens, as stated in the 2024-2026 LGLDHU Strategic Plan.

What does ‘Excellence in Action’ look like?

Click on the links below to see some of the strategies we have used that improve client health outcomes.

RNAO BPSO Designation

2025 marks the tenth anniversary of our journey to become a Registered Nurses Association of Ontario Best Practice Spotlight Organization (BPSO)!

In the coming months we will highlight and celebrate some of our achievements as a BPSO, and share how we continue our commitment to putting Excellence into Action for our communities. We are thrilled that our new partner in South East Health Unit (formerly KFLA Health Unit) has just started their own designation journey. This will increase the reach of the internationally renowned BPSO program to all of the communities served by SEHU. Follow their progress on X.

Test Your BPSO Knowledge

Best Practice Spotlight Organization Logo