OpenAthens
An OpenAthens account gives all NHS staff and learners access to a wide range of online resources.
You are here: Topic Guides LGBTQ+ Health
Here at Leeds Libraries for health we aim to put LGBT+ 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.
This guide aims to make the evidence and networks around LGBT+ topics in healthcare easier to discover, support learning and transform our workplace.
The Pride+ Staff collection has been curated by our colleagues at United Lincolnshire Hospital NHS Trust.
News
'As a bisexual, there's no-one you can really relate to'
BBC News, May 2024
For Cara, being bisexual was a double strain, with neither her gay or straight friends able to fully understand what she was going through. “The LGBT friends I had, most were just exclusively gay, I felt like I had no-one to ask for advice. I was worried about talking about boys around them and putting them off.”
Every country in Europe was ranked for LGBTQ+ rights – and the UK has plummeted
Pink News, May 2024
The UK continues to see its position plummet on ILGA-Europe’s annual Rainbow Map ranking how LGBTQ-friendly European countries are. In 2015, the UK was ranked the best place in Europe for LGBTQ+ rights with an 86% rating, but its 2024 ranking has seen it drop to 16th place, with a rating of 51.87%. In 2023, the UK obtained a score of 53.37% – two percentage points more than 2024.
Exploring LGBTQ+ staff experience in the NHS
NHS Confederation, May 2024
Access our infographic which explores the growing LGBTQ+ staff experience gap and actions you can take to support LGBTQ+ NHS colleagues. LGBTQ+ staff are more likely to experience bullying and harassment, discrimination and unwanted sexual behaviour compared to their heterosexual colleagues. LGBTQ+ staff are also less likely to recommend the NHS as a place to work.
Published research
Diagnostic radiography students’ attitudes towards gender inclusive pregnancy status checks
Radiography, May 2024
Radiographers are responsible for protecting foetuses against ionising radiation and must screen all individuals for pregnancy prior to a pelvic X-ray examination following new guidance from the Society of Radiographers. This includes male, female, transgender, non-binary and intersex patients. Student diagnostic radiographers learn to undertake this screening so this project was designed to understand their attitudes towards doing so.
Disparities in Mortality by Sexual Orientation in a Large, Prospective Cohort of Female Nurses
JAMA Network, April 2024
This study aimed to examine differences in mortality by sexual orientation. In an otherwise largely homogeneous sample of female nurses, participants identifying as lesbian or bisexual had markedly earlier mortality (20% for lesbians, 37% for bisexuals) during the study period compared with heterosexual women. These differences in mortality timing highlight the urgency of addressing modifiable risks and upstream social forces that propagate and perpetuate disparities.
Journal of Affective Disorders, April 2024
Sexual minority youth are at higher risk of self-harming than heterosexual adolescents. Understanding why sexual minority youth are more vulnerable to poor mental health and identifying factors that might buffer against this risk is important for developing targeted interventions.
Key papers and reports
Hospice UK
A resource for commissioners, service providers and health, care and support staff, this report from Hospice UK has examples of delivering high quality, personalised palliative and end of life care for Gypsies and Travellers, LGBTQ+ people and people experiencing homelessness.
KFF, April 2024
This report focuses on LGBT adults’ experiences with discrimination in their daily lives and in health care settings in addition to experiences with severe mental health crises, homelessness, well-being and stress, and experiences accessing mental health care. It also looks at the relationship between experiences with discrimination and adverse mental health outcomes, and, conversely, the importance of strong, local support networks in mitigating some of these outcomes.
LGBT Youth Scotland, April 2024
This report seeks to explore issues being faced by trans young people in Scotland. This report covers the feelings of trans youth on accessing public spaces, accessing services, and transphobia. The survey also found that general happiness among trans youth has dropped by 50% in a decade. As well as sharing eye-opening statistics as part of their survey results, the report also makes “a range of recommendations” to address the systemic and societal issues that trans people face.
Hard Done Bi: An Exploration of Bi+ Health Inequalities in England
The National LGBT Partnership, March 2024
Within the bisexual, pansexual, and multi-gender (bi+) community, particularly among those of who involved in organising within the community, there has long been discussions based on anecdotal evidence that bi+ people were more likely to be disabled, chronically ill, or dealing with mental health issues than the general population.
Blogs / Commentary / Editorials / Opinion Pieces
Every time you wash your hands, you honour this gender-diverse doctor’s legacy
QueerAF, May 2024
Dr. James Barry was one of a handful of doctors who pioneered the act of handwashing in medicine in the 19th century. He was also gender diverse. Despite his contributions to medicine, Barry has since been largely ignored, misgendered, and forgotten.
How inclusive language can help to reduce birth trauma
The Conversation, May 2024
A recent report from the UK’s parliament into birth trauma has put perinatal care into the spotlight, but the mainstream discussion has largely ignored the experiences of LGBTQ+ families. One key problem for LGBTQ+ families is that the language used to give information about pregnancy and birth often assumes that only women give birth.
What can be learnt from the past 75 years of LGBTQ+ Health Care?
The Kings's Fund. Released 23rd May 2024
This year the theme of LGBT+ History Month was #UnderTheScope, which explored the achievements and milestones of queer people in relation to medicine and health care.
Guardian documentary. Released 22nd May 2024
From first crush to first love, from the closet to coming out and from loss to connection. For the last 25 years, retired schoolteacher Arden Eversmeyer travelled from Houston across the US to record hundreds of oral 'herstories' from a rapidly disappearing population. Old Lesbians honours Arden’s legacy by animating the resilient, joyful voices she preserved in the Old Lesbian Oral Herstory Project - a powerful reminder of the strength, resilience and unwavering spirit of these remarkable women
The LGBTQ+ staff experience gap
Layla McCay. 14 May 2024. NHS Employers blog.
On International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersexism and Transphobia, Dr Layla McCay considers the inequalities of experiences of LGBTQ+ people as reflected in the NHS Staff Survey.
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.
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.
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.
Further reading & books.
Check out our own LGBT+ book collection consisting of both clinical and wellbeing books.
Podcasts
The UK's first ever Trans+ conference
QueerAF, May 2024
Did you know that 50 years ago, Leeds held the UK's first-ever Trans+ conference? This city welcomed transgender people to its hotels and halls then - and is proud of its history of supporting trans people now. Join us for a walking tour of the city's queer sites, plus interviews with one of the last surviving members of the Trans group of the gay liberation front; you'll end this episode loving Leeds's little-known gender-diverse history.
Episode 44: Building Business Excellence: Unpacking “Privilege”
Call In: Inclusive Leadership in Action podcast series. May 2024.
Karen Catlin shares her expertise on understanding and navigating privilege in the workplace. Discover how acknowledging and leveraging privilege can lead to more meaningful allyship and stronger, more inclusive organizations. Understanding privilege is key to becoming a better ally. As you review this list of 50 ways you might have privilege in the workplace, note any items that surprise you. Consider how not having those privileges might impact the way someone experiences the workplace.
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.