Pride Season 2024
Every June, the LGBTQ+ population and their allies come together to celebrate and recognise the influence LGBTQ+ people have had around the world. This begins what has grown to become Pride Season, a series of events that highlight current challenges faced by LGBTQ+ people and celebrate the progress made toward equality.
This year we have seen an increase in hostility toward LGBTQ+ people; intense negative media and public discord, particularly around trans people, has led to increases in hate crimes, vandalism of LGBTQ+ venues and disruption of LGBTQ+ events. Society has come a long way since the Stonewall Riots of 1969, but with the UK in 15th place in the Rainbow Europe Map we clearly need to continue to raise awareness, challenge negative attitudes and celebrate inclusiveness. This is reflected in the NHS Staff Survey results, with one in five gay, lesbian and bisexual staff and one in four transgender staff stating they are thinking of leaving the NHS. Around one in five LGBTQ+ NHS staff also report personally experiencing physical violence at work.
For LGBTQ+ people, Pride Season promotes their dignity, equal rights, self-affirmation and is a way of increasing society’s awareness of the issues they face.
Supporting our LGBTQ+ workforce
The NHS People Plan recognises the urgency of NHS leaders acting and creating an organisational culture where everyone feels that they belong – in particular, improving the experience of staff from diverse and minority backgrounds.
Today, barriers to equal rights and opportunities remain and contribute to some of the negative experiences that the LGBTQ+ population face. We are yet to see all forms of so-called conversion therapy banned for example. It is therefore crucial that NHS organisations have open conversations at work about the experience of their LGBTQ+ staff inside and outside of the workplace.
NHS organisations should strive to create a culture and environment that allows LGBTQ+ staff to be themselves at work and to contribute fully to the wider organisation. It's important that employers educate colleagues so that they can help to create a more welcoming working environment.
Access information and resources
- Inclusive leadership pledge - The NHS Confederation developed an inclusive leadership pledge, with nine behaviours you can adopt to model inclusive leadership. Find out more and sign the pledge now.
- Health and Care LGBTQ+ Inclusion Framework - The framework is built on six pillars to enable health and care leaders to ensure their working culture and services are LGBTQ+ inclusive.
- Read Dr Layla McCay's blog on the LGBTQ+ staff experience gap to understand how the experience gap between LGBTQ+ staff and their colleagues is getting worse, particularly for transgender staff and the importance of enabling LGBTQ+ NHS staff to feel safe and thrive as well as their peers.
- Access our infographic to explore the NHS LGBTQ+ staff experience gap and actions you can take to support LGBTQ+ colleagues.
- Join the NHS Confederation's Health and Care LGBTQ+ Leaders Network - If you're an LGBTQ+ leader or ally, be part of a diverse network of people from across health and care, supporting and influencing change across the system.
- Peter Molyneux on authentic leadership - Peter Molyneux, former chair of the Health and Care LGBTQ+ Leaders Network shares the challenges of being authentic while in a leadership role, and what it means to be an authentic leader.
- Supporting your LGBTQ+ workforce - Access tools, resources, and best practice to help you create a culture and environment that welcomes LGBTQ+ staff, allowing them to be themselves at work and to contribute fully to the wider organisation.
Download the promotional resources
If you are looking to run your own campaign, download the promotional resources which include:
Get involved
The Health and Care LGBTQ+ Leaders Network would like to hear what you are doing this year to support Pride season. Please let them know of any events or initiatives and they will share across the network. Or if there’s anything else, please contact LGBTQnetwork@nhsconfed.org.
