The Government has appointed its first national adviser for LGBT health in the NHS and also announced an advisory panel to tackle inequality within the health system.
Dr Michael Brady is currently medical director of the Terrence Higgins Trust, a charity working to support those living with HIV and provide sexual health-related services.
He is also a sexual health and HIV consultant at King’s College Hospital in London.
Dr Brady will share his expertise with the Government, helping to raise healthcare staff’s awareness of LGBT issues and implement sexual orientation monitoring in the NHS. This is designed to help the NHS analyse LGBT patients’ experience of health services.
Working with public and private bodies, Dr Brady’s remit will include addressing the LGBT community’s experience of both physical and mental health services.
Together with the 12 members of the advisory panel, Dr Brady’s work will feed into the Government’s ambition to improve the lives of LGBT people through the delivery of the LGBT Action Plan, published last year to tackle some of the challenges faced by this community.
Dr Brady said: ‘I’m delighted to be chosen to advise government and the NHS on the work that needs to be done to improve the health and well-being of LGBT communities.
I want to ensure that every LGBT person is treated with dignity and respect and receives the right information, treatment and care.
‘I want all healthcare workers to understand the needs of LGBT individuals and for everyone to feel comfortable and confident that they will be treated fairly when they access healthcare.’
Health and social care secretary Matt Hancock said: ‘Dr Michael Brady will bring a wealth of knowledge to the role and I welcome his appointment.
‘A specific national adviser will help improve the LGBT community’s current experience of the NHS and ensure individuals are always treated with the compassion and consideration they deserve.
I hope this will truly give people the opportunity to be involved in shaping their own experiences going forward.’
