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Good LGBT Practice guidance for front-line NHS staff

Good LGBT Practice guidance for front-line NHS staff.

julian-zamora
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Good LGBT Practice guidance for front-line NHS staff

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  1. Good LGBT Practice guidance for front-line NHS staff Addressing LGBT Health Inequalities

  2. Culture of CareWhen accessing NHS X services, LGBT people, their partners, friends and families are entitled to experience a safe environment in which their privacy and dignity are respected and upheld by staff. Be aware that you will have lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) users, even if you don’t know who they are. Addressing LGBT Health Inequalities Addressing LGBT Health Inequalities

  3. Stereotyping and assumptionsRelying on stereotypes of how LGBT people appear, present or behave to guide professional assessment or practice is at best unhelpful and presumptuous and at worst hurtful and damaging, affecting the quality of care and relationships with staff. The only way you can really know a user is LGB or T is if they tell you. This is more likely to happen if you provide an environment and personal approach which acknowledges and affirms the possibility. Addressing LGBT Health Inequalities Addressing LGBT Health Inequalities

  4. CommunicationUse language which is inclusive of same-sex relationships. Pronouns: If you are speaking with someone and you are unsure whether the person would wish to be addressed as he or as she, then it is usually best just to avoid using any gendered terms than to risk insulting them by guessing wrong. Addressing LGBT Health Inequalities Addressing LGBT Health Inequalities

  5. Partners, families, significant othersLGBT people can have concerns that healthcare staff will not acknowledge and include their partner and may deny visiting rights and/or access to information. Be aware that LGBT people may be in a Civil Partnership, and that this enjoys similar legal status to marriage.Avoid use of the term ‘next of kin’ as historically this has been seen to imply biological family members or spouses - and it has limited legal status. Addressing LGBT Health Inequalities Addressing LGBT Health Inequalities

  6. Disclosure and ConfidentialityRecognise that LGBT people can experience apprehension about disclosing to healthcare staff due to fear of negative reactions. Where a user does disclose their lesbian, gay or bisexual orientation or transgender status, explain what the information will be used for, who will have access to it and how their confidentiality will be maintained. Where a user does not want this personal information to be recorded this must be respected at all times. Addressing LGBT Health Inequalities Addressing LGBT Health Inequalities

  7. Inter-disciplinary careScottish Gender Specialist Doctors follow international Standards of Care (see Contacts and Bibliography for details) A transgender person seeking assistance with transitioning to their preferred gender presentation role* or seeking assistance with other transgender issues should be referred promptly by their GP to a Gender Specialist Addressing LGBT Health Inequalities Addressing LGBT Health Inequalities

  8. Assessing individual needsSingle-sex wards present challenges for the assessment and placement of some transgender people who may not fit neatly into male and female categories.Where a person is living full-time in their preferred/acquired gender role, the decision is an easy one: they should be accommodated in the appropriate ward in accordance with their acquired gender role* Addressing LGBT Health Inequalities Addressing LGBT Health Inequalities

  9. Challenging discriminatory beliefs, attitudes and behavioursHealthcare staff are entitled to hold personal values, attitudes and beliefs. However, these should not influence professional practice and the provision of accessible services for LGBT users.It can be difficult to address concerns with colleagues or other users. However, unless and until homophobia, biphobia or transphobia are challenged then other staff or users may not be aware that they are being discriminatory. Raising it provides them with an opportunity to change, and makes it clear that you are not prepared to tolerate it. Addressing LGBT Health Inequalities Addressing LGBT Health Inequalities

  10. Dealing with loss and bereavementRecognise that bereaved same-sex partners may not have access to the same levels of family support or recognition that heterosexual partners might. Have information on specialist local services or helplines available. Addressing LGBT Health Inequalities Addressing LGBT Health Inequalities

  11. Addressing LGBT Health Inequalities

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