UCLH is committed to creating a working environment where staff of all sexes, genders and sexual orientations are consistently valued and respected. 

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In order to support our lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT+) staff, we have worked to ensure that all LGBT+ people who come into contact with UCLH enjoy healthy lives as staff, service users and patients.  The “+” means that we are inclusive of all identities, regardless of how people define themselves.

The UCLH LGBT+ Staff Network Group is committed to ensuring that all UCLH employees have a positive experience of working for the trust and are treated with respect and dignity. We welcome your feedback on your experiences of working here and what changes you would like to see within your working environment. 

Our well-established LGBT+ Staff Network is an inclusive group for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, non-binary, asexual, questioning, and those who may otherwise identify with a different sexuality or gender.  We also encourage ‘allies’ – those who may not identify as LGBT+ but have an interest in supporting LGBT+ equality – to join the network.

We work together to promote diversity and inclusivity in the workplace; to influence change and promote good practice.  We act as a safe point of contact for staff that may have questions or concerns about LGBT+ issues.

Our aim is to ensure LGBT+ equality across UCLH to improve the working lives of LGBT+ staff and positively impact on the quality of care delivered to patients. 

We have taken part in London Pride for the last 5 years and in NHS Virtual Pride 2020.
Membership of the LGBT+ Staff Network Group is open to all UCLH employees.

If you would like to become involved in the UCLH LGBT+ Network Group, please contact us on uclh.lgbt@nhs.net

The Rainbow Badge Initiative originated at Evelina London Children's Hospital to make a positive difference by promoting a message of inclusion.  It has now expanded across the NHS and UCLH are proud to be a part of the Rainbow Badge Initiative.

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Rainbow Badges are a way for colleagues to show that University College London Hospitals NHS Trust offers open, non-judgmental and inclusive care for patients, their families, and our colleagues who identify as LGBT+.

If you spot one of our staff members wearing the NHS Rainbow Badge, it shows they are someone you can talk to about issues relating to sexuality and gender. 
  
But it’s not just wearing a Rainbow Badge which will help make UCLH more inclusive and open for all; there are other simple things we can all do to promote inclusion:

  • Use inclusive language in all discussions
  • Respect the person’s gender identity and gender presentation
  • Assure confidentiality

LGBT+ patients face inequities in their experience of NHS healthcare. A recent Stonewall survey (published November 2018) estimates that one in five LGBT+ people are not ‘out’ to any healthcare professional about their sexual orientation when seeking general medical care, and one in seven LGBT+ people have avoided treatment for fear of discrimination. 

Despite the progress made towards LGBT+ equality in the UK, negative attitudes (homophobia, biphobia, transphobia) are still widely prevalent.  Many LGBT+ people continue to face inequality and significant barriers in their experience of NHS healthcare.

Mental health issues such as depression and anxiety are much higher in people who identify as LGBT+. Many people still feel afraid to disclose their sexuality or gender identity, and to ‘come out’. Being unable to do this often increases their risk of physical and mental health problems.
 
Increased awareness of the issues surrounding LGBT+ people who are accessing healthcare can make significant differences to their experience.

Similarly, NHS staff can also face these challenges with many reporting that they aren’t comfortable disclosing their sexual orientation at work. This can lead to stress and anxiety and impact on an individual’s ability to deliver their job.

If you want to find out more about the challenges faced in relation to sexuality and gender, please read Stonewall’s LGBT+ in Britain health report.