Sexual orientation
RCN LGBT Network
The RCN operates a UK-wide LGBT network for members. We aim to meet at least once a year at Congress and share information and provide support to each other throughout the year.
Network members can nominate someone from the network to participate in the RCN award-winning political leadership programme. For more information about the network please email diversity.team@rcn.org.uk.
RCN LGBT Network meeting 2011
On Wednesday 13 April 2011 the RCN National LGBT Network held its fourth annual meeting at RCN Congress. After hearing from Tina Donnelly, the RCN’s Corporate LGBT Equality Champion and Director of RCN Wales, who outlined the progress made by the Network over the last year, delegates heard from Monty Moncrieff, LGBT Programme Manager from the Department of Health. Monty gave a detailed overview of the state of play for LGBT issues within the department and an analysis of the way forward. His presentation is available for download (PPT 152KB).
LGBT History Month
February is Lesbian Gay Bisexual Trans History Month. It celebrates the lives and achievements of the LGBT community. LGBT History Month offers the health care community an opportunity to connect with a wide-range of LGBT stakeholders.
Homophobia and transphobia create unsafe spaces and make discrimination and harassment a daily occurrence for LGBT people. Because of discrimination, LGBT people have higher rates of depression, alcohol and drug use, suicide and mental health issues. By creating safe spaces, informed staff and dedicated programs for LGBT patients, the NHS can counter this reality and improve the health of LGBT people.
LGBT History Month is a valuable opportunity for nursing staff to showcase new and existing programmes that actively work to improve the health of the LGBT community.
For more information about LGBT History Month, visit the LGBT History Month website.
Patient care
Below are some of the resources currently available to assist nursing staff in the delivery of health care to LGBT communities.
Reducing health inequalities for lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people: briefings for health and social care staff
Lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT) people experience a number of health inequalities which are often unrecognised in health and social care settings. These briefings are intended to show that LGBT people are a diverse group, and to dispel assumptions that they form a homogeneous group. The briefings provide easy-to-read guidance for health and social care commissioners, service planners and frontline staff. They aim to inform the delivery of appropriate services and to support health and social care professionals in their everyday work with LGBT people by providing fundamental awareness and evidence of LGBT needs in relation to health. Visit the Department of Health website to access this briefing.
Sexual orientation: a practical guide for the NHS
This report gives practical advice to enable NHS organisations to address their responsibilities relating to sexual orientation and employment or health care delivery.
Cancer awareness: the impact of sexual orientation
This report on the DH website provides the results from a survey of 1600 heterosexual, gay, lesbian and bisexual respondents, using the CR-UK Cancer Awareness Measure (CAM). It was commissioned by the Department of Health from YouGov. The results highlight the differences in cancer awareness between different sexual orientation groups. It appears that there is some relationship between sexual orientation and cancer awareness, however it is likely to be much less important than various other factors such as age and gender.
Transgender experiences information and support
This leaflet has been produced to help trans people and their families understand the experiences of trans people, their rights and their choices. It also helps health care staff understand their role when caring for trans people.
Trans: a practical guide for the NHS
This document gives best practice advice for NHS organisations to address their responsibilities relating to trans employment and health care delivery.
Support for you
The RCN offers comprehensive advice and support to its members. The RCN’s LGBT Network aims to influence policy around LGBT issues. The Network has a business meeting at Congress every year with a keynote speaker. This year, our Congress fringe takes place on Wednesday 13 April at lunchtime.
For more information about this event please email diversity.team@rcn.org.uk
Membership Support Services
RCN Counselling Service
The RCN provides free short-term counselling and psychological support where necessary. As an RCN member you have the opportunity to approach the counselling service as the need arises. For more information about this service please vist the RCN Counselling webpage.
Welfare Rights and Guidance service
Welfare Rights and Guidance (WR and G) is the new name for a collection of member advisory services including the Work Injured Nurses Group, the RCN Benevolent Fund, and Welfare and Careers advice. They provide expert advice, guidance and information on the following issues:
- benefits, tax credits and pensions (N.B. Not financial or investment advice)
- retirement issues
- ill health and disability
- disability discrimination
- money advice and debt counselling
- charitable funding, including the RCN Benevolent Fund
- housing problems
- career planning
- interview techniques
- CV and application form completion.
For more information please visit the Welfare Rights and Guidance webpage.
Trans Equality
This is a legal advice service jointly funded by Press for Change and the Equality and Human Rights Commission. For more information please visit the Trans Equality website.
The Gender Trust
The Gender Trust is a charity that aims to support adults throughout the United Kingdom who are transsexual, gender dysphoric, transgender and those who are seeking to adjust their lives to live as women or men, or come to terms with their situation despite their genetic background as well as those whose lives are affected by gender identity issues. More information can be obtained from their national helpline on 0845 231 0505.
Mermaids
Mermaids is a support group originally formed in 1995 by a group of parents who were brought together as a result of their children's longstanding gender identity issues.
GIRES
GIRES' primary mission is to improve the circumstances in which trans people live, by changing the way that society treats them.
Stonewall
Stonewall is a campaigning and lobbying organisation for LGB issues. Stonewall also works with a whole range of agencies to address the needs of lesbians, gay men and bisexuals in the wider community. Their diversity champions programme offers advice and support to over 600 organisations including the Royal College of Nursing.
Stonewall's Education for All campaign, launched in January 2005, helps tackle homophobia and homophobic bullying in schools and works with a wide coalition of groups.
Stonewall has a presence in England, Scotland and Wales. Follow the links below.
- Stonewall England
- Stonewall Scotland
- Scotland Cymru
- Cara-Friend is an organisation that works to support the LGBT community in Northern Ireland.
Information services
As an RCN member you can access a host of professional development resources to help you succeed.
E-library
You can access a goldmine of information online, through the RCN e-library 24 hours a day. Our librarians have prepared a FAST literature search on LGBT health issues so you can access the most up-to-date information quickly.
Learning Zone
The Learning Zone offers bite-sized learning modules on a wide range of subjects including human rights, equality and diversity, nutrition and leadership.
Join us
We would be delighted if you could join us on 23 February 2010 from 6pm to 7:15pm at our HQ headquarters in London to celebrate LGBT History Month with Sandra James, MBE Chair of RCN Council, and Tina Donnelly, LGBT Equality Champion and colleagues from Stonewall and the Department of Health.
Please email diversity.team@rcn.org.uk to let us know if you will be attending.
Trans: A practical guide for the NHS
New guidance on transgender issues has been produced by the Department of Health.
The guidance acknowledges that individuals who do not conform to societal gender norms are often an ignored and disadvantaged group in society.
The guidance covers a range of issues including practical guidance on service quality, training and employment. It also provides background knowledge and advice which examines labels, policy considerations, good practice as well as wider social issues.
Download the guidance from the Department of Health website.
The double-glazed glass ceiling: lesbians in the workplace
Stonewall report
In summer 2008, Stonewall researchers interviewed a range of lesbian and bisexual women in depth about their experiences in the workplace. The participants discussed their experiences, perceptions and expectations of the impact that their sexuality might have on them at work.
The report makes a series of recommendations to improve the experiences of lesbian women at work and these are summarised below:
- Provide opportunities for professional development.
- Increase visibility - support role models.
- Individual direct contact from female colleagues.
- Think about the tone of network group events.
- Network across sectors.
- Think about external and internal communications.
- Develop opportunities for mentoring.
- Make women's networks inclusive.
- Monitor staff and events.
- Ask people what they think.
Download copies of the research from the Stonewall website.
Prescription for Change
Stonewall have recently published a report entitled 'Prescription for Change - Lesbian and bisexual women's health check 2008'. The report outlines the key issues for the health care sector in understanding and meeting the health needs of lesbian and bisexual women. The report covers mental health, domestic violence, cervical screening and sexual health.
The report makes ten key recommendations for the NHS:
- Understand lesbian health needs: Only 1 in ten lesbian and bisexual women said that health care workers have given them information relevant to their health care needs.
- Train staff: Only 3 in ten lesbian and bisexual women said health care workers did not make inappropriate comments about their sexual orientation.
- Don't make assumptions: 2 in 5 lesbian and bisexual women said that in the last year health care workers had assumed they were heterosexual.
- Explicit policies: Only 1 in eleven say that their GP surgery displayed non-discriminatory policy.
- Tell lesbians what they need to know: Three quarters of lesbian and bisexual women think they are not at risk from sexually transmitted infections.
- Improve monitoring: 1 in ten lesbian and bisexual women stated that when they did come out to a health care worker they were either ignored, or the health care worker continued to assume they were heterosexual.
- Increase visibility: Half of young lesbian and bisexual women have self-harmed in the last year. Increased visibility of lesbian and bisexual women will help improve self-esteem and morale.
- Make confidentiality policies clear: 1 in eight lesbian and bisexual women are not sure what their GP's policy is on confidentiality.
- Make complaints procedures clear: Half of lesbian and bisexual women have had a negative experience in the health sector in the last year.
- Develop tailored services: Only 2% of lesbian and bisexual women have attended a service tailored towards their needs.
For more information on Perscription for Change, go to the Stonewall website.
Dramatic progress towards gay equality at work
Stonewall's Workplace Equality Index was launched on 09 January 2008.
Employers in the index are ranked according to criteria ranging from implementation of an effective equality policy, to granting equal benefits for same-sex partners, to having openly gay staff on their board of directors. Entries come from across the board in private, public and third sector organisations.
Nacro, the national crime reduction charity came top of the 2008 index. The Greater London Authority (GLA) came second and two police forces - Hampshire and Staffordshire - tied at third place. Law firm Pinsent Masons was recognised as the most improved employer and the Prison Service won the award for employee network group of the year. The RCN is a Stonewall Diversity Champion and improved its overall scoring significantly.
Standards have risen dramatically recently. In 2005, an organisation had to have a minimum score of 40 per cent to make the top 100. In 2008, it was 71 per cent.
The health and social care sector are represented in the top 100 employers by Tower Hamlets Primary Care Trust (PCT), Bromley PCT and the Commission for Social Care Inspection.
For more information visit the Stonewall website: Workplace Equality Index 2008
Press for Change
Press for Change is a lobbying and educational organisation, which campaigns to achieve equal civil rights and liberties for all trans people in the United Kingdom, through legislation and social change. Read more on the Press for Change website.
Being the gay one: experiences of lesbian, gay and bisexual people working in the health and social care sector.
The Department of Health commissioned Stonewall to undertake a project to identify the key barriers to reporting of homophobia against health and social care employees. Stonewall's report, Being the gay one: Experiences of lesbian, gay and bisexual people working in the health and social care sector, published on 15 June 2007, included a series of recommendations to the Department of Health for overcoming these barriers.
Commeting on the publication, the Tina Donnelly, the RCN's Sexual Orientation Equality Champion said:
"The report outlined some of the most appalling and distressing forms of behaviour that clearly violates and demeans the dignity of colleagues.
Employers must now ensure that they take decisive and concerted action to challenge such discriminatory behaviour as well as actively embed approaches that value the full diversity of the health care workforce".
Read more on the Department of Health website.
National LGBT Network launched at Congress
Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) members now have access to a National LGBT Network which provides support and a strong campaign and lobbying function on LGBT issues within the health and social care sector.
Email: diversity.team@rcn.org.uk for more information about the network.
RCN working with leading gay equality organisation
The RCN is a member of Stonewall Diversity Champions programme. This means the RCN is working with Britain's leading gay equality organisation, and other members of the programme, to improve our working environment for our lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) staff and members.
We need workplace cultures that enable individuals to be valued for themselves. Work has started on developing the RCN's first sexual orientation equality strategy. In the coming weeks, the RCN will be seeking your feedback on the kinds of issues that we need to tackle within the scope of the strategy.
Read more on the Dviersity Champions programme on the Stonewall website.
Send us your views
What should the RCN's first sexual orientation strategy contain? What are the issues that are facing you at work in this area? We want to know what you think. Email your views to the RCN diversity team: diversity.team@rcn.org.uk.
Preventing the harassment of gay employees
Stonewall's third workplace guide is available from its website, giving examples of best practice. The guide deals with:
- building the business case
- effective policy and procedure
- improving reporting.
It includes indepth research into organisations that are taking steps to address bullying and harassment on the basis of sexual orientation. Researchers interviewed 11 organisations of varying sizes and operating in a variety of sectors, which are all members of Stonewall's Diversity Champions programme. Stonewall research enables organisations to build reputation, improve performance and avoid risk. Read the guide on the Stonewall website.
Employment equality regulations
The Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations, which came into force in December 2003, make it unlawful to discriminate against employees because of their sexual orientation or sexuality. The regulations define sexual orientation in the following way:
- same sex (lesbians and gay men)
- opposite sex (heterosexual men and women)
- same sex and opposite sex (bisexual men and women).
The regulations apply to all employment and vocational training, including terms and conditions, promotions, training and transfers and make it unlawful to:
- Discriminate directly or indirectly against employees or potential employees because of their sexual orientation or what is thought to be their sexual orientation, or because they associate with someone of a particular sexual orientation.
- Harass an individual because of their sexual orientation or sexuality. Harassment covers a wide range of behaviours and includes behaviour that is offensive, frightening or distressing. There is recognition that such behaviours can often be subtle, covert and unintentional but have the effect of upsetting the individual.
- Victimise someone because they have or intend to make a complaint or give evidence in relation to a complaint of discrimination because of sexual orientation.
Core training standards for sexual orientation
The Department of Health commissioned report, Core training standards for sexual orientation, provides best practice training standards for sexual orientation, to assist health and social care organisations in promoting equality. The report is available to download on the Department of Health website.