Monday 27 April 2015

St Andrews top of the list for LGB-friendly patient care

Independent provider St Andrew’s Healthcare has been named as the most inclusive healthcare organisation for lesbian, gay and bisexual patients in England.

The specialist mental health and neuropsychiatry charity has sites in Northampton, Birmingham, Essex and Nottinghamshire.

Northumbria Healthcare NHS Trust Foundation second and Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust were listed as the third most inclusive healthcare providers, respectively.

County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust came in fourth and London-based Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust was fifth.

The Healthcare Equality Index – in its third and final year – is run by the charity Stonewall.
It is intended to act as a tool for health providers to benchmark and track their progress on equality for their lesbian, gay and bisexual patients and communities.

St Andrew’s Healthcare has improved its position since 2014, when it came third in the Index, after it provided accessible LGB-themed literature and resources in areas such as its library.

Overall, Stonewall said 39 healthcare organisations entered the index, including ambulance trusts, independent sector providers and social enterprise organisations.

Organisations were assessed against criteria including patient policy and practice, engagement and communication with gay people, improving the health of gay patients and staff training on gay health needs

James Taylor, head of campaigns at Stonewall, said: “All organisations who have secured top 10 positions should be extremely proud, and a special congratulations to St. Andrew’s Healthcare.

“Lesbian, gay and bisexual people still experience and expect poor health outcomes and treatment when they use the NHS,” he said. “Every organisation that entered helps tackle health inequalities.”

Story source: nursingtimes.net

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