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Lesbian, gay & bisexual health care needs

Lesbian, gay and bisexual people: discrimination and impact on general health care needs

It is sometimes assumed by health care professionals, policy makers, and patients that lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) people do not have unique health needs as a consequence of their sexual orientation. This, however, is not the case. Research suggests that LGB people have very specific concerns that are not necessarily met by service providers.

Stonewall Cymru's Inside-Out Project was a community led piece of research focusing on lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) people's experiences of accessing health services in North and Mid Wales which recognised that LGB people themselves are the best people to understand the health issues relevant to other LGB people. The project operated between April 2006 and March 2007. The findings and have been widely circulated across Wales and the health service and Welsh Assembly Government are responding to the recommendations.

Over half of the LGB respondents had disclosed their sexual orientation ('come out') whilst accessing a health service, but half of these felt that this had changed the attitude of the health care provider. Experiences ranged from a less friendly atmosphere to staff being embarrassed or judgemental.

A high majority of LGB people said they would register their same-sex partner as their next of kin. The reasons given for not doing so were fear of discrimination, fear of the treatment being affected and lack of confidence that their sexual orientation would be kept private.

Many people said they would feel more confident in accessing health services if the health care professionals gave equal status to same-sex relationships in their literature and culture.

In response the Welsh Assembly has produced a Welsh Health Circular Raising awareness of the needs and rights of lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) people when accessing healthcare services in Wales. This guidance recognises the rights of same-sex partners in relation to next of kin issues and makes it clear that it is not acceptable to undermine or diminish same sex relationships during the course of providing health services.

The General Medical Council (GMC) has produced a leaflet Protecting Patients your rights as Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual people which sets out the principles of Good Medical Practice, making it clear that lesbian, gay and bisexual people have the same rights to good health care as everyone else and providing information on the ways to tell the GMC of any concern about bad practice.

The Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) has published the first in a series of three equality and diversity good practice bulletins designed to help service providers address the new personalisation agenda set out in the joint protocol Putting People First. This first bulletin builds on good practice to help social care providers make their services appropriate for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, no matter what their sexual orientation.
Click here to download the bulletin

Click here  for further information on the specific health care needs of LGB people, and related research:
Men and general health needs
Men and sexual health needs
Men and cancer
Women and general health needs
Women and sexual health needs
Women and cancer
Alcohol use
Smoking
Drug use
Domestic violence and same sex violence
Poverty and social exclusion
Parenthood and families
Maternity, pregnancy, and fertility
LGB people from black & ethnic minority communities
LGB disabled people
Younger LGB people
Older LGB People