A new report is published today which highlights the health and wellbeing needs of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans people in South Gloucestershire.

The report, by the Diversity Trust, was grant-funded through the “Everybody’s Business” Grant Programme from South Gloucestershire Council explores key areas of health inequality and discrimination, as well as the positive experiences LGB and Trans people have of living in the South Gloucestershire area.

The need for this work became evident during the consultation on the Health & Wellbeing Strategy leading to Diversity Trust being commissioned to produce the report.

Dr Mark Pietroni, Interim Director of Public Health for South Gloucestershire, said: “Whilst consulting on the South Gloucestershire Health & Wellbeing Strategy we heard a number of concerns from LGBT people living in South Gloucestershire about their experience of health and social care services and about the responsiveness of services to recognise their needs. This exciting report published today is the product of an initiative launched at Bristol Pride in July 2013 intended to reach out to many LGBT people living in South Gloucestershire starting to engage them in a conversation to help ensure public services can improve their awareness and responsiveness to LGBT residents in South Gloucestershire”.

Berkeley Wilde, Director of the Diversity Trust, said “We are really pleased to be able to publish this important report with South Gloucestershire Council which highlights the experiences of LGB and Trans communities in the area. Two trends which we want to see improvements made include: tackling homophobic and Transphobic bullying in schools, which needs to be urgently addressed; and health and social care services, which need to ensure frontline staff receive LGB and Trans awareness training to ensure people receive the dignity and respect they need when accessing services.”

We found:

• Just over 50% received medical help for anxiety or depression

• Just under 30% self-harmed or self-injured themselves

• Just under 50% thought about suicide or tried to kill themselves

To read the full report or the Executive Summary click here