The Committee have invited representatives from the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans (LGBT) Foundation to discuss their Pride in Practice project.

Pride in Practice is a quality assurance and social prescribing service that strengthens and develops primary care services relationships with their LGBT patients within the local community.

The report entitled ‘Ten Stories from Ten Boroughs - a celebration of Pride in Practice throughout Greater Manchester’ has been provided for information.

The Committee welcomed Andrew Gilliver, LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans) Foundation who had been invited to the meeting to discuss Pride In Practice.

Mr Gilliver delivered a presentation that described that the LGBT Foundation’s Pride in Practice was a quality assurance and social prescribing service that strengthened and developed primary care services relationships with their LGBT patients within the local community.

LGBT people had told the LGBT Foundation that it was important to them to be open and honest about their sexual orientation, gender identity, trans status and lives with their GPs. Service users wanted to feel confident that health professionals understood and could respond to their specific needs. Pride in Practice was a simple way for practitioners to inform their patients that they understood them and they could trust them.

Pride in Practice aimed to ensure that all LGBT people had access to primary care services that were inclusive and understanding of the needs of diverse communities. Through Pride in Practice, LGBT people highlighted the health and care inequities they had experienced across primary care services, as well as sharing many examples of best practice around LGBT inclusion in primary care. These experiences helped demonstrate the project’s impact on the design and delivery of LGBT inclusive services, highlighting the simple but important changes that could be made by health care providers to help reduce health inequalities and improve the health and wellbeing of our communities.

The Committee were informed that Pride in Practice was suitable for all Primary Care Services, including GP Practices, Dentists, Pharmacies and Optometrists and endorsed by The Royal College of GP’s.

Members heard that Pride in Practice was a support package that enabled health professionals to effectively and confidently meet the needs of LGBT patients. It further supported practitioners in meeting the requirements of their Clinical Commissioning Group, the Care Quality Commission and other bodies that they worked with.

Pride in Practice provided Practices with an accreditation award, including a wall plaque and Pride in Practice logos for letterheads and websites. This enabled Practices to promote their equality credentials, and demonstrated their commitment to ensuring a fully inclusive, patient-centred service.

Members were informed that over 5000 healthcare professionals had received training, with 97% of those feeding back that their confidence in regard to this area had increased and 98% stating that they felt better informed.

Mr Gilliver informed the Committee that this project that had started in Manchester was beginning to be rolled out in areas of London and West Yorkshire.

A Member reflected upon his own personal experience when accessing health care and noted the positive improvements that had been achieved and enquired what were the challenges today. Mr Gilliver stated that the current challenge related to trans patients, stating that citizens had to wait a significant period of time to access specialist services and health professional had little or no training in the area of gender diversity.

He further commented that the LGBT Foundation would seek to train and support health professionals in this area and training could be tailored to suit the needs of different providers. He further commented that the LGBT Foundation served as a signposting service for wider sources of support, including specials support in recognition of our diverse communities that could assist both patient and their families.

In response to a comment from a Member regarding GP Practices that did not engage with this project, Mr Gilliver stated that if they received a complaint regarding the service received they would seek to engage with the Practice Manager and enter into a dialogue to promote this project and offer training and support. In response to a question from the Chair regarding turnover of staff in GP Practices, Mr Gilliver confirmed that they would refresh the training as and when required and remained a point of contact for support and advice for Practice Managers.    

The Executive Member for Adults, Health and Wellbeing informed the Committee that the Manchester Health and Care Commissioning Board had agreed that this offer was to be mandatory for all GP Practices. 

The Chair thanked Mr Gilliver for attending the meeting and discussing the project with the Committee. He informed Members that the LGBT Foundation would be invited back to attend the December meeting to discuss specific health improvement interventions for LGBT communities in Manchester, including the Greater Manchester Trans Health Service and Pride in Ageing.   

Decision                  

1. To thank Mr Gilliver for attending the meeting and addressing the Committee.