Royal Bolton leads by example on LGBTQ+
This February we are advocating for LGBT history month while it aims to celebrate, promote and inform the public about LGBT history, achievements and education.
The IBMS is a proud supporter of the LGBTQ+ community and our LGBTQ+ members. In order to celebrate LGBT History Month, we talked to IBMS Licentiate Abi Giles about her positive experience of coming out in the modern healthcare workplace:
“My professional job title is Specialist Biomedical Scientist and I work in the Blood Sciences Department (Biochemistry Section) at Royal Bolton Hospital.
When I first came out to my colleagues at work, they were supportive from the beginning.
This really helped me to feel welcomed at the place I’d worked for five years already. After that I started discussing the process of socially transitioning at work with my line manager.
As I was the first person in my trust (to my knowledge) to undertake such a process, I ended up causing the trust to write a whole new policy for it! The week leading up to my first day was full of nerves, but it turned out to be unfounded.
Since that first day I have felt completely welcomed in my workplace and have been able to get involved with a number of equality activities my trust has undertaken. For example, the rainbow NHS badge project, and the first appearance of the trust in the local NHS Pride parade.
The Rainbow NHS badge
The Rainbow NHS badge project was originally set up by a Doctor in London (I believe) and it has been spreading to trusts around the UK as a way for staff members to show their commitment to LGBTQ+ inclusivity. Staff members at Bolton can watch an online webinar and then email a pledge showing how they will support LGBT colleagues and service users. After this they can then receive their badge.
Bolton Pride
Bolton Pride was held on the weekend of September 21st 2019. As part of representing the local healthcare organisation, Bolton NHS Foundation Trust had a series of meetings to get ideas on how best to represent the trust’s commitment to inclusion and diversity.
As a result approximately 30 staff members marched in the parade (including myself!) holding banners and pride flags, as well as a stall in the main pride area in the town square. The stall contained details about services the trust offers, as well as careers that are available within the trust.
As my own contribution to both the stall and the run up to pride I produced a little “guess the pride flag” quiz with all the different pride flags I could find and a list of their names by the side.
As a result of all of this, I feel like I can definitely call my workplace an LGBTQ+ friendly place to work due to unwavering support at multiple levels.
I also feel immensely proud of what I have been able to achieve over the past 2+ years in terms of representing my part of the community at my workplace and my personal achievements.”
Inclusivity and diversity in the workplace is also discussed in an article by IBMS Council Member Colin Mudd - LGBTQ Inclusivity: Fact or Fiction? - which features in this month’s issue of The Biomedical Scientist.