Inequalities faced by LGBT patients and staff must end

Treating patients with dignity and respect is essential to ensuring a good health service. This should incorporate all patients and not be conditional to race, ethnicity, gender identity, religion, disability or sexual orientation. Everyone has the right for their healthcare needs to be considered and, where possible, met. However, too often this parity of care is not a reality.

Numerous reports highlight how people in the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community have faced discrimination or a lack of support when accessing health and social care services (Hunt and Dick, 2008; Hunt and Fish, 2008; Guasp and Taylor, 2012; Somerville, 2015). Discrimination can lead to sub-optimal care, through poor communication and adherence to treatment, and undermine the mental wellbeing of patients (Allmark et al, 2010).