Website of the Department of Health

Monitoring sexual orientation in the health sector

This guide should assist all those involved in equality within the health sector, but will be particularly useful for human resource managers who work in the NHS and social care and allied health organisations.

• Download Monitoring sexual orientation in the health sector (PDF, 324K)

Harassment and sexual orientation in the health sector

This guide should be useful for all those involved in implementing equality within the health sector, including equality in service delivery, but will be particularly useful for central agencies who wish to consider new methods of protecting all staff in the health sector from harassment.

• Download Harassment and sexual orientation in the health sector (PDF, 322K)

• British Medical Association Equal Opportunities Committee (2005) - Sexual orientation in the workplace (opens new window)
• Dignity at Work for Lesbian and Gay Doctors and Dentists, Medical and Dental Students: The Gay and Lesbian Association of Doctors and Dentists (March 2004) (opens new window)
• Women and Equality Unit DTI (2005): Gender reassignment: a guide for employers - in Portable Document Format (opens new window)

B. Reducing health inequalities

Reducing health inequalities for lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people: briefings for health and social care staff

These briefings provide easy-to-read guidance for health and social care commissioners, service planners and front line staff to inform the delivery of appropriate services to LGBT people.

• Reducing health inequalities for lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people - briefings for health and social care staff

Evidence of healthcare needs: these briefings were developed from an earlier report that the Department commissioned Stonewall to undertake on the evidence of the health care needs of LGB people.

• Download Reducing health inequalities for Lesbian Gay and Bisexual people: Evidence of health care needs (PDF, 181K)
• UK Gay Men’s Health Network (2004) - Sexual exclusion: homophobia and health inequalities- a review of health inequalities and social exclusion experienced by lesbian, gay and bisexual people (opens new window)
• Department for Education and Skills, Department of Health (2004) - Stand up for us: Challenging homophobia in schools (opens new window)

C. Inclusive services

• Royal College of Nursing and UNISON - Not ‘just’ a friend: best practice guidance on health care for lesbian, gay and bisexual service users and their families - in Portable Document Format (opens new window)
• Stonewall Scotland, NHS Scotland - Fair For All - The Wider Challenge Good LGBT Practice in the NHS, NHS Inclusion Project Working for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Health (opens new window)

D. Transgender

NHS funding processes and waiting times for adult service-users: Trans wellbeing and healthcare

This publication will help you understand the processes involved in obtaining funding for treatment for gender variant conditions. It answers the questions that service-users typically ask, and it provides guidance on how to navigate this complex system with minimum delay.

• NHS funding processes and waiting times for adult service-users: Trans wellbeing and healthcare

Guidance for GPs and other clinicians on the treatment of gender variant people

This publication is written by a team from the Gender Identity Research and Education Society. All the team members have specialist knowledge and experience in the transgender field.

• Guidance for GPs, other clinicians and health professionals on the care of gender variant people

Medical care for gender variant children and young people: answering families’ questions

This publication provides answers to the questions typically asked by parents of gender variant children and young people (up to the age of 17). It helps families to understand about gender variance and gives some suggestions about how to respond.

• Medical care for gender variant children and young people: answering families' questions

A guide for young trans people in the UK

This booklet, by a group of young trans people aged between 15 and 22, aims to offer information to young people who know they are trans or are confused about or questioning their gender in any way.

• A guide for young trans people in the UK

Bereavement : a guide for transsexual, transgender people and their loved ones

This booklet has been produced to assist bereaved transgender people or friends, or the family of a trans person who has died. It will also inform professionals such as coroners, pathologists, mortuary staff and undertakers to understand the particular needs of trans people in the circumstances of death.

• Bereavement: A guide for transsexual, transgender people and their loved ones
• Press for Change: health and social care (opens new window)

An introduction to working with transgender patients

The Government is committed to amending the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 before the end of December 2007 to prohibit discrimination on the grounds of gender reassignment in the provision of goods and services – including health and social care. This leaflet is intended to support health and social care organisations ensure trans people do not experience discrimination and prejudice in service delivery.

• An introduction to working with transgender people: information for health and social care staff

Transgender experiences – Information and support

This leaflet has been produced to help trans people and their families understand about the experiences of trans people, their rights and their choices. It also helps healthcare staff to understand about their role when caring for trans people.

• Transgender experiences - Information and support

A guide to hormone therapy for trans people

This publication gives trans men (female to male individuals) and trans women (male to female individuals) straightforward information about the benefits of hormone therapy and the risks and side effects.

• A guide to hormone therapy for trans people

Other links

• Gay and Lesbian Association of Doctors and Dentists (opens new window)
• The Gender Trust (opens new window)

An information centre for anyone with any question or problem concerning their gender identity. The Trust is also an authoritative centre for professional people who encounter gender identity related issues in the course of their work.

• Lesbian Information Service (opens new window)
• Press for Change (opens new window)

Campaigning for respect and equality for all trans people.

• Sigma Research (opens new window)

A social research group specialising in the behavioural and policy aspects of HIV and sexual health. It also undertakes research and development work on aspects of lesbian, gay and bisexual health and well-being.

• Stonewall (opens new window)
• Health with Pride (opens new window)

This is an online resource for lesbian, gay and bisexual patients and the healthcare professionals who serve them.

• PRISM: the Department of Health Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Staff Group (opens new window)