Approximately 70 per cent of LGBT medics endure abuse as a result of their sexual orientation, according to research that featured at a Dublin health conference.
The research was highlighted at the European Society’s Annual Conference in Coloproctology. The conference went ahead in the Convention Centre on Thursday and featured a range of talks, including a discussion on how to make healthcare more accessible for LGBT patients and staff.
Dr. Ginny Bowbrick, a vascular surgeon, spoke about the importance of diversity in healthcare and assisting the unique needs of LGBT patients at the conference. She also discussed how many healthcare professionals still feel unable to disclose their sexuality out of fears they will be discriminated against in the workplace.
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She said: “It’s relevant because if you can’t be your true authentic self at work, you can’t be part of the team. You can’t talk about what you did at the weekend, for example. It’s important that inclusivity is encouraged for the entire workforce.”
Additionally, Dr. Bowbrick also referred to the handling of the AIDS crisis in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. She said the speed at which a successful vaccine for COVID was produced struck a chord amongst many LGBT patients living with HIV, particularly as it took ten years to provide AIDS patients back in the 1980s with any meaningful treatment.
Bowbrick is involved with PRiSM, an initiative which supports LGBT surgeons affiliated to the Royal College of Surgeons. It serves as a welcoming and inclusive forum to access advice and resources through.
The conference was the first held in Dublin since the beginning of the pandemic and featured many engaging talks, including one on the appropriate use of social media amongst doctors. Several speakers mentioned how online etiquette amongst doctors and patients had become increasingly blurred since the start of COVID, with many doctors now receiving- and on occasion accepting- friend requests on platforms such as Facebook and Twitter.
The speakers encouraged medics to be vigilant surrounding online activity and to consider keeping their profiles switched to private. They said these boundaries are especially important for new doctors entering the profession and advised doctors to maintain professionalism online.
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