A clinic has been recognised on the international stage for its commitment to inclusive care.
Brighton's Agora Clinic received the Best LGBTQ+ Patient Experience award at the European Fertility Society’s 2026 Fertility Care Awards, presented during the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) meeting in London.
Dr Carole Gilling-Smith, founder of the clinic, said: "I don't often find myself speechless, but standing on that stage, I wasn't thinking about the award, but about every patient who has trusted us over the past twenty years.
"They're the real reason we were standing there."
Dr Gilling-Smith established the Agora Clinic in Brighton in 2006.
She said: "There wasn't a blueprint for delivering truly inclusive fertility care.
"So, we listened to our patients who showed us where the barriers were, who told us what made them feel welcome, what made them feel anxious and what great care looked like from their perspective.
"Twenty years later, they're still teaching us."
The Agora has been noted for its early and sustained commitment to making fertility care accessible and comfortable for LGBTQ+ families.
The clinic supports lesbian couples, solo parents by choice, transgender and non-binary people preserving fertility before gender-affirming treatment, and intended parents pursuing surrogacy.
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Gay couples, including those living with HIV, are also supported.
In 2025, 13 per cent of all IVF cycles at the clinic were for lesbian couples and solo mothers using donor sperm.
Sixty-five per cent of intended parents pursuing surrogacy were from the LGBTQ+ community, and 38 transgender patients received NHS-funded fertility preservation before starting gender-affirming care.
Dr Gilling-Smith credited the clinic’s approach to its patients, who have continually shaped its model of care.
She said: "They challenged our assumptions, shared their experiences and helped shape almost every aspect of the clinic you see today.
"Twenty years later, they're still teaching us."
The Agora remains an independent, family-led clinic.
Dr Gilling-Smith’s three adult children now hold leadership roles within the organisation.
She said: "My children grew up alongside the clinic.
"Today they're helping shape its future, which means the values we started with continue to guide where we're going."
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