'Gaps' in healthcare for LGBT people

Gay, lesbian and bisexual people are at risk of receiving inadequate healthcare because of assumptions and prejudices among some healthcare workers, a leading advocate for the LGBT community has warned.

Odhrán Allen, director of mental health issues with the Gay Lesbian Equality Network (Glen), was speaking at the publication of an evaluation report on a pilot project to train healthcare professionals in caring for lesbian and gay, bisexual patients at the end of their lives.

The project, which saw 200 staff in St Vincent’s University Hospital, Beaumont Hospital and St Francis hospice participate the 50-minute training course between November 2010 and June last year, promoted “five steps to best practise” in caring for LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) patients.

The steps are to stay informed on LGBT issues; don’t assume all patients are heterosexual, respond positively when patients disclose they are LGBT; challenge anti-gay bias and take gay-affirmative approach, and, demonstrate that your practise is inclusive of LGBT people.

The evaluation report found that after taking the training comfort with LGBT terminology increased from 40 per cent to 80 per cent, confidence in providing care to LGBT patients increased from 20 per cent to 60 per cent, and, the level of knowledge of LGBT healthcare issues rose from 20 per cent to 75 per cent.

Paul D’Alton, head of the department of psycho-oncology at St Vincent’s Hospital, said there were “certainly gaps” in the care afforded to lesbian and gay people.

“Sometimes it’s with the best of intentions and sensitivity that people just skirt around issues, in a genuine effort not to offend.”

He said supporting people’s relationships with the people who were most important to them, particularly in palliative care, was essential to caring for them.

Mr Allen said there were times when health was directly related to a person’s homosexuality, particularly in the areas of mental health, sexual health and elder care.

“If there are these health issues, and the healthcare worker is uncomfortable with referring to sexual orientation, and the patient is worried about being forthcoming about their orientation, well then there is a real danger that the care they’d get would be inadequate.

“So this kind of training for health workers is very important.”

Broadcaster Marian Finucane said if a person could not be true to who they were when at their most vulnerable “that has to make you even more vulnerable”.