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NHS Employers calls on managers to raise LGBT awareness

by
4 February 2016

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This month is LGBT history month, and employers should take the opportunity to raise awareness of issues that exist within the workplace.

This comes after a report called Unhealthy Attitudes, published last summer by the LGBT charity Stonewall, found evidence of discrimination and unfair treatment of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) staff and patients across the health and social care sector. 

Moreover, an estimated 300,000 – 500,000 people currently identify themselves within the transgender community in the UK. More than 100,000 NHS employees also identify as lesbian, gay or bisexual.

February marks the UK’s official lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) History Month, which aims to promote equality and diversity for the benefit of the public. 

Managers should be aware that there are employee support groups in the NHS, such as Health with Pride, Gay and Lesbian Association of Doctors and Dentists and the Royal College of Nursing LGBT staff group.

A useful online guide has also been published for lesbian, gay and bisexual patients, and the healthcare professionals who serve them, developed by NHS Dagenham.

Also, Good LGBT Practice in the NHS, the third major publication from the Inclusion Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Project provides information, case studies, examples of good practice and the real experiences of LGBT people who have used NHS services.