Dr Semlyen, whose research previously found health disparities including higher levels of common mental disorder, smoking, hazardous alcohol use and levels of unhealthy body mass index (BMI) in the UK LGBTQ+ population, said: “I am pleased to see the Women and Equalities Committee’s recommendation to ensure mandatory sexual orientation and gender identity monitoring across all NHS and state social care providers and thus in line with ethnicity monitoring. This an important commitment to and recognition of the role of data in demonstrating disparities in health and health service use and guiding resource allocation and intervention development, both key in addressing LGBTQ+ health in the UK population.
“I welcome the Women and Equalities Committee’s recommendation for a review of guidance for medical schools regarding LGBTQ+ curriculum content development. It is crucial that all our doctors have access to training on LGBTQ+ health in addition to our medical students and so it is important that training is extended beyond higher education into both postgraduate training and continued professional development for qualified doctors.”
