Diversity, inclusion and the right to simply be yourself is as important as ever
In this blog St Bartholomew's chief executive Charles Knight reflects on the importance of diversity and inclusion and how, particularly during the pandemic, it is vital to be an ally to the LGBTQ+ community.
The long, warm summer days of late June and early July are synonymous with rainbow flags and colourful Pride celebrations.
Annual Pride events, culminating in a noisy and glorious parade through the streets of central London, aren’t taking place this year, but the message: of diversity, inclusion and the right to simply be yourself, is as important as ever.
The pandemic has shone a light on the inequality within our society, with those identifying as LGBTQ+ disproportionately affected by the impact of the virus.
A recent report from the LGBT Foundation showed that LGBTQ+ people are more likely to be socially isolated than other groups; more likely to experience domestic abuse; face mental health struggles as a result of having routines severely disrupted and face delays in accessing key services, such as gender-affirming treatment.
A week on from the horrific event, we should all take time to remember the names of James Furlong, Joe Ritchie-Bennett and David Wails, the three gay men murdered in Reading on Saturday, and commit ourselves to rooting out the terrible prejudice that leads to such unspeakable tragedies.
Now is the time to be an ally to the LGBTQ+ community and to speak up for your LGBTQ+ colleagues. If you’re wondering where to start, supporting our fantastic LGBTQ+ network, led by Darren Barnes and Jason Morley-Smith, is a great place to start.
Darren has written a blog this week that explains all of the fantastic progress the network has achieved in making sure the experiences of LGBTQ+ staff and patients are heard. One recent example is addressing the inequality face the by LGBTQ+ community in accessing quality end of life care.
Finally, if you’re passing by the square this week, stop and look up. You’ll see the rainbow flag flying proudly from our historic North Wing.
Happy Pride!
For further information about equality, diversity and inclusion at Barts Health please visit this webpage.