Grants awarded to aid staff experience

16 November 2022

Staff-led projects to develop a training programme to improve the experience of LGBTQ+ staff and patients, to upgrade staff room facilities, and to create a staff community hub in children’s A&E have all received funding from the Royal Free Charity.

The Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust’s LGBTQ+ & Friends staff network has been awarded a grant of £4,500 to create a training programme for staff so they can better support colleagues, patients and their loved ones.

Dean Rigg, LGBTQ+ network co-chair, said: “Despite making up a relatively small proportion of the population, lesbian, gay, bi, trans and queer people are disproportionately affected by mental health issues. They also have disproportionately worse health outcomes and experiences of healthcare.

“While the trust already has equality and diversity training in place, there is a gap in some colleagues’ knowledge and confidence that they look to the LGBTQ+ & Friends staff network for support with. This funding from the charity will allow us to design and deliver a bespoke internal training programme that has the experience of our own staff at its core.”

The training programme will:

• raise awareness of LGBTQ+ experiences in work and healthcare
• foster a better understanding of LGBTQ+ terminology and sensitive communication
• support staff when they believe a colleague or patient might be experiencing mental health problems.

Stephen Downer, LGBT+ network co-chair, said: “We’re often contacted by colleagues who want advice or guidance when they are caring for a patient who is trans – when their gender is not the same as, or does not sit comfortably with, the sex they were assigned at birth – or non-binary, when their gender identity doesn’t sit comfortably with ‘man’ or ‘woman’. Colleagues want to deliver compassionate and respectful care but they can feel uncomfortable because they’re worried about being insensitive or clumsy in their language.

“We’re very happy that colleagues know we’re here for advice and guidance, it shows there’s a will to do the right thing. The training programme will empower those who take part to become better allies in the workplace and improve support for LGBTQ+ people accessing our services.”

The training programme will be available to trust and charity staff, as well as charity volunteers.

Twenty one applications were received during the charity’s recent staff experience grants round. Eight grants received a share of the total pot of £50,000. Grants awarded include:

• upgrades to staff areas for the domestic and portering, occupational health, and neuro rehabilitation teams at the Royal Free Hospital
• provision of staff room equipment for the paediatric emergency department and the acute assessment unit at Barnet Hospital