Improving access and experiences of healthcare for LGBTQ+ patients and staff:
the Rainbow Badge Programme
The NHS Rainbow Badge was created to be a way for NHS staff to demonstrate that they are aware of the issues that LGBTQ+ people can face when accessing healthcare.
There were two phases to the programme:
Phase 1: Choosing to wear the badge and committing to being someone who an LGBTQ+ person can feel comfortable talking to about issues relating to sexuality or gender identity.
Phase 2: An assessment and accreditation model allowing NHS Trusts to demonstrate their commitment to reducing barriers to healthcare for LGBTQ+ people, whilst evidencing the good work they have already undertaken.
Phase 1: Wearing the NHS Rainbow Badge
The NHS Rainbow Badge was developed and led from Evelina London Children’s Hospital by Dr. Michael Farquhar as a way for NHS staff to demonstrate they are aware of issues that LGBTQ+ people can face when accessing healthcare.
When wearing the badge, people were:
- Accepting that it is a responsibility.
- Acknowledging the barriers which LGBTQ+ people may face.
- Committing to promoting an environment that is open, tolerant, and inclusive.
- Showing up to listen without judgement.
Phase 2: Creating LGBTQ+ inclusive healthcare environments
Phase 2 was funded by NHS England and delivered by a collaborative partnership consisting of LGBT Foundation, Stonewall, LGBT Consortium, Switchboard, and GLADD.
It involved an assessment and accreditation model aimed at supporting your NHS Trust to create an inclusive healthcare environment.
Trusts were assessed on:
- Clinical service provision
- Workforce inclusion
- Leadership
- Sexual Orientation, Gender, and Trans Status monitoring
- Facilities
- Engagement
Trusts received a graded award reflecting your current LGBTQ+ inclusion work, either Bronze, Silver, or Gold, and a comprehensive feedback report and action plan, designed to help the Trust facilitate meaningful change and achieve the next grade.
Taking part in Phase 2 was all about celebrating the work your Trust had undertaken, whilst identifying opportunities to create tangible, meaningful change.
Taking part offered your Trust:
- Recognition of inclusion work already in practice.
- A detailed individual action plan and resources.
- Evidence of meeting legal requirements to reduce health inequalities.
- Access to expert support, best practice guidance, and case studies.
- Improvements to patient experience
- Support facilitating community engagement.
- Increases in staff retention and satisfaction
If you want to find out more about how the scheme operated, you can email us at rainbow.badge@lgbt.foundation.
Improving the experiences of LGBTQ+ patients and professionals
The Rainbow Badge partnership also facilitated the NHS LGBTI+ Sounding Board, a group of LGBTI+ volunteers who have lived experience of being LGBTI+ and knowledge of the health inequalities that can occur for LGBTI+ people.
Evidence of need
- 23% of LGBTQ+ people have at one time witnessed anti-LGBTQ+ remarks by healthcare staff.
- 19% of trans people noted that when accessing healthcare their specific needs were ignored or not taken into account and 16% experienced inappropriate curiosity from healthcare professionals.
- 37% of LGB women have incorrectly been told by a health professional they did not require a cervical screening test because of their sexual orientation.
- 93% of LGBTQ+ specialists and service users consider that more work needs to be done to improve end-of-life services for LGBTQ+ people.
