LGBTQ+ Health
Want to provide the right support for staff and patients, but don’t know where to start? This LGBTQ+ topic guide is updated regularly with reports, briefs and policies so you can deliver the best care.
Here at Leeds Libraries for health we aim to put LGBTQ+ healthcare at the forefront of our research. If there is something else that you would like to see added here or want research directly emailed to your inbox, please contact us.
Content on this page is based on the Pride bulletin produced by United Lincs NHS library service. Contact lthstafflibraries@nhs.net to receive the bulletin direct to your inbox.
News
New data shows bi+ women and trans people are more likely to experience domestic abuse
DIVA
New data from the Crime Survey for England and Wales shows us that LGBTQIA people remain significantly more likely to experience domestic abuse compared with their cis/het peers. 4.5% of cis/het people have experienced domestic abuse, compared to 6% of lesbian and gay people and more than 9% of bi+ people. Being trans is also associated with a significantly higher risk of domestic abuse, with 9.8% experiencing abuse
Huge resurgence in homophobic insults in schools – campaigner
BBC News 14th of December
Children as young as seven are using homophobic language, with a "huge resurgence" in offensive insults in schools, according to a former teacher and consultant.
GPs halting transgender patients’ hormone treatment or refusing prescriptions, investigation reveals
Billie Gay Jackson & Holly Bancroft. The Independent. 7 December 2024.
Kamilla Kamaruddin, who has been a GP for two decades and is currently a lead clinician at the East of England Gender Service, said that the issue of care being refused or withdrawn from transgender people has become more frequent. “GPs who refuse to prescribe are still in the minority but we’re seeing more and more GPs who are refusing to prescribe on the basis that they don’t have the expertise ... even though they have already done the prescribing for a very long time,” she said. “If a GP didn’t know how to treat a heart condition they’d ask a cardiologist – they’d get advice and guidance … for some GPs this doesn’t seem to apply to treating trans people.” The General Medical Council, the regulator of doctors in the UK, has previously stated to GPs that the provision of HRT prescriptions to transgender adults is not a highly specialist area and does not require specific expertise.
Layla McCay named in top 100 LGBTQ+ executives role model list
NHS Confederation
The NHS Confederation’s Director of Policy, Dr Layla McCay, has been recognised on the 2024 Outstanding Role Model 100 LGBTQ+ Executives list. Layla has made a huge impact in leading LGBTQ+ inclusion across health and care and at the NHS Confederation. Layla champions authentic leadership, bringing LGBTQ+ inclusion in all aspects of her work
Published research
Transgender people's experiences of hospitalization: A qualitative metasynthesis
Journal of Advanced Nursing
Transgender people's healthcare experiences during hospitalization were mainly negative, delayed or uncomfortable. Misgendering and lack of awareness of transgender issues among healthcare workers generated anxiety and frustration. Key aspects of care for transgender people need to be included in all training programs for health professionals.
Lauren A Crowder et al. Transfusion, 22 December 2024.
The Assessing Donor Variability and New Concepts in Eligibility (ADVANCE) study was a multicenter cross-organizational collaboration to collect data to inform possible changes in blood donor selection criteria for men who have sex with men. Multiple recruitment approaches were used, and these may be applicable to current efforts in LGBTQ+ community engagement to recruit new blood donors. The study website was a portal for general information about donation policy, the study itself, scheduling study visits, and news stories. It was important to evolve outreach messages and approaches over time. Study team members created changing content and posting schedules on the website and social media platforms. We also worked with community and social media influencers to raise community awareness about the study. Later in the pandemic, we were able to recruit at in-person community events. These in-person events were our most successful outreach.
Key papers and reports
Trans people and the NHS: the heat of the debate needs the light of evidence
Frank Rigby. The King’s Fund. 4 February 2025.
2024 was a year in which trans health care was under the spotlight. We saw a flurry of announcements regarding and impacting the provision of gender-affirming health care for the trans community, particularly for children and young people.
Conversion practices: the PRIDE study explores harms experienced in the LGBTQIA+ community
The Mental Elf
The PRIDE study, published recently in The Lancet Psychiatry, provided data by means of a national, and long-term cross-sectional study. This study aimed to take a closer look at mental health outcomes across the intersections of gender and sexual orientation identities within the LGBTQIA+ community with or without a recalled experience of conversion practices.
Blogs / Commentary / Editorials / Opinion Pieces
LGBTQ+ Care: The Medical Records Problem No One Talks About
Manuela Callari. Medscape News. 4 February 2025.
When Stewart O'Callaghan was diagnosed with chronic leukaemia at the age of 29, they faced a lack of awareness of LGBTQ+ needs, interpersonal skills, and support options within the UK healthcare system. They found themselves having to balance their physical health with their personal care needs as an LGBTQ+ person.
New research shows almost 40% of LGBTQ+ employees still hide their identity at work
Stonewall
As LGBTQ+ History Month begins, new research has highlighted the extent of workplace discrimination faced by LGBTQ+ people in the UK. Over a third of employees (36 per cent) have heard discriminatory comments made about an LGBTQ+ colleague. Three in ten LGBTQ+ employees (31%) wouldn’t feel comfortable reporting discrimination if they experienced homophobic or biphobic bullying or harassment.
2 in 3 trans people suffer from poor mental health
DIVA
A new report has revealed the staggering number of trans people suffering from depression, anxiety and other mental health conditions. The report surveyed over 2000 people across 75 countries. It highlighted the critical mental health challenges faced by trans people, including the prevalence of depression, anxiety and PTSD. The report can be downloaded here
"The best is still ahead": I spoke with LGBTQ+ people on ageing well. This is what they told me.
The Conversation
What does it mean to live and age well? My doctoral research sought to understand this from the perspective of LGBTQ+ people of diverse cultural backgrounds in Australia. I spoke with 14 people aged 50 and above about their hopes and fears of ageing.
Attitude
To mark Disability History Month, Just Like Us ambassador Simone Penn writes for Attitude about the experience of navigating the NHS as a queer woman with chronic illness.
How can we support LGBTQ+ medical students?
BMA
Despite societal progress, medical schools and hospital environments often lag in fostering inclusivity and support, leaving many LGBTQ+ students feeling isolated and unsupported. The BMA’s survey with GLADD on attitudes to gender identity and sexual orientation in medicine found that only 46% of LGBQ+ doctors, and 34% of trans or gender diverse doctors, felt comfortable being open at work.
New research: 77% of LGBTQ young people have faced workplace sexual harassment
The Conversation
Unwanted sexual attention and behaviour are a persistent problem in many workplace cultures. But the workplace sexual harassment of LGBTQ employees is often overlooked. Broad population studies show LGBTQ people experience sexual harassment in the workplace at disproportionately higher rates than heterosexual women.
Useful websites
Stonewall UK
Includes many links to information and support for LGBT communities and their allies.
LGBT Foundation - Home
LGBT Foundation is a national charity delivering advice, support and information services to lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT) communities.
LGBT Switchboard
A helpline that provides an information, support and referral service for lesbians, gay men and bisexual and trans people – and anyone considering issues around their sexuality and/or gender identity.
Queer / LGBTQIA+ Menopause (queermenopause.com)
My mission is to promote inclusive menopause resources for those who need them, and greater education for therapists and healthcare practitioners about the needs of LGBTQIA+ people in menopause.
LGBTQ+ people and cancer treatment
If you are LGBTQ+ and have cancer, you may have questions about if this will affect your cancer treatment. Sexual orientation and gender identity should not affect your access to the right healthcare. Your healthcare team should offer you care, support and information that meets your needs. But we know that sometimes LGBTQ+ people may face extra challenges in getting the right help.
LGBTQ+ Book Club
Intrested in joining our LGBTQ+ book club? Drop us an email and get on the list! Our bi-monthly book club is a chance for you to meet people from your community across Pan Leeds. This 30 minute slot will push you out of your literatre comfort zone while still giving an opportunity for a mental well being break.
Our friendly library team can signpost you to local book shops or your local public library to track down a copy.
Struggling for time but still want to come along? We can email you a PDF of the first chapter so you can still join in without impacting your work load.
Our next online meet up will be in April where we will be reading The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida by Shehan Karunatilaka
Find out more here
Profession and specialty networks and resources
NHS ENGLAND Equalites and health inequalities HUB
Within this hub you will find information about NHS England’s statutory responsibilities around equalities and health inequalities and the national NHS programmes in these areas.
LGBT+ mental health services map
"List of charities and organisations providing mental health and suicide prevention support for people who identify as LGBTQI+."
National Ambulance LGBT Network
"Understanding Trans Service Users: Ambulance Service Perspective "
National LGBT Partnership
"The National LGBT Partnership was established in early 2010, in order reduce health inequalities and challenge homophobia, biphobia and transphobia within public services. The Partnership combines the expertise of thirty-eight key LGBTQIA+ organisations across England, and works closely with many more."
Breaking down the barriers to LGBTIQ+ healthcare inclusive cancer care.
OUTpatients. The UK's LGBTQI+ cancer chairty
We have created this booklet as an overview of some of our core information and training to help you to begin to improve the LGBTQI+ inclusivity of your cancer services.
Working with transgender people in physiotherapy practice
This guidance supports CSP members in improving the health of communities, including people who are transgender, through high-quality physiotherapy
Further reading & books.
Check out our own LGBT+ book collection consisting of both clinical and wellbeing books.
Podcasts
Who’s Being Left Out of Inclusion? The Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid
Element of Inclusion Podcast. 10 December 2024.
So much DEI work is focused on people at the top of an organisation. Too many people forget about people at the bottom. Key yopics covered in This episode:
- How DEI is preoccupied with senior leaders
- Why there’s an opportunity at the bottom of the pyramid
- 3 groups who are often overlooked and why they matter
New, more dangerous MPOX strain - what can we do?
Queer AF, September 2024
In this episode of What The Pox?, host Martin Joseph explores the resurgence of news about MPOX in 2024 after it is once again declared a global health emergency by the WHO in August 2024. The episode unpacks the spread of the more dangerous Clade 1B virus
2024 LGBTIQ+ Workplace Inclusion Symposium
Workplace Pride YouTube channel. 17 September 2024.
The 2024 LGBTIQ+ Workplace Inclusion Symposium brought together thought leaders and professionals to explore the latest research on LGBTIQ+ inclusion. Dr. Erin Cech (University of Michigan) and Prof. Dr. Jojanneke van der Toorn (Leiden University) delivered impactful keynote presentations, delving into groundbreaking studies. A panel of researchers and D&I experts from both the public and private sectors reflected on the findings, sharing practical strategies for fostering inclusive workplaces.
Podcast - Voices from the LGBT+ Community
How can we improve LGBTQ+ cancer care? – That Cancer Conversation podcast
The Provider Podcast: Pride within providers
Local networks and plans
LGBT+ Staff Network - Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (leedsth.nhs.uk)
The network aims to provide a point of contact and support for LGBT+ staff and allies in the workplace.
Make your pledge
The NHS Rainbow Badges initiative started at Evelina Children’s Hospital in London and has quickly gained pace throughout the NHS. We are proud to be joining the movement and making a public commitment to support both patients and staff that identify as LGBT+.
Increased awareness of the issues surrounding LGBT+ people when accessing healthcare on the part of NHS staff can make significant differences to LGBT+ peoples’ experiences, and, in turn on their physical and mental health. The badge is a reminder that you can talk to our staff about who you are and how you feel. They will do their best to get support for you if you need it.
NHS confederation
Health and Care LGBTQ+ Leaders Network
LGBT+ SPORT AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
Check out local sport groups in the Leeds area
Library Services
Is there a LGBTQ+ information need we are not meeting?
Let us know and we can provide the results with a literature search.
Request an evidence search - Leeds Libraries
Want to undertake your own LGBT+ health research?
Not sure where to start? We can provide training on how to search and appraise resources on our healthcare databases.
Information Skills Training - Leeds Libraries
Want the lasted LGBT+ health evidence direct to your inbox?
Let us know if you have a speciality or just want the highlights of the latest evidence.
Contact lthstafflibraries@nhs.net for more details.
OpenAthens
An OpenAthens account gives all NHS staff and learners access to a wide range of online resources.