Everything you always

wanted to know about sexual

orientation monitoring…

Implementing sexual orientation monitoring in

the voluntary and community sector

Valeska Matziol

Policy & Research Coordinator

The Lesbian & Gay Foundation

North West

“Over the last two decades, the lesbian, gay and bisexual

(LGB) community has seen legislative change which has

led to greater acceptance. However, there is still a huge

lack of evidence about LGB people, our needs and

experiences. Monitoring sexual orientation is a proven way

to address that lack of evidence”

-Paul Martin OBE, The Lesbian & Gay Foundation

Why Sexual Orientation

Monitoring?

North West

“These days we take it for granted that organisations will

analyse the gender, age, race or ethnicity, and disability

status of staff and service users. We accept being asked

because we understand how it can improve what the

NHS does. The same goes for understanding who people

love and live their lives with. Understanding that is pretty

fundamental to understanding their lives and health”

- Christine Burns MBE, NHS North West

North West

North West

Identifying a need

• Research conducted across Greater Manchester public sector

organisations monitoring staff and service users to identify current

monitoring practice and information use

• Key findings:

– Staff monitored, but service user monitoring less comprehensive

and consistent

– Sexual orientation monitoring often a recent development

– Lack of specific staff training

– Low response rates: 68% average response rate and average of

1.6% LGB staff

– Gaps around confidentiality and staff understanding of

monitoring

• Workbook developed with expert consultative panel

• Built around case studies of real life examples

• Aimed at increasing awareness of the need and knowledge of

best practice

• Available in a variety of formats

• Promotion across the NHS and public sector

Developing the workbook

North West

North West

North West

North West

Policy Drivers

North West

• Equality Act 2010: Public Sector Equality Duty

– eliminate discrimination, harassment and victimisation;

– tackle prejudice and promote understanding;

– advance equality of opportunity;

– remove or minimise disadvantages that are connected to a

particular characteristic;

– take steps to meet the needs of people who share a protected

characteristic, based on real life experience and evidence of

need

• Equality Delivery System (EDS) – relevant for NHS organisations

Benefits for VCS Organisations

North West

• Increases workforce satisfaction and productivity as well as

employee retention

• Helps to identify and reduce access barriers for LGB volunteers and

service users

• Improves services by making sure they are tailored to LGB service

users’ needs

• Makes organisations more competitive in the context of public sector

commissioning of services from the VCS

What barriers to implementing

sexual orientation monitoring have

you encountered in your

organisation?

North West

How could you use this information

to improve service design and

delivery?

North West

Action plans: how can you take

sexual orientation monitoring

forward in your organisation?

North West

Thank you!

valeska.matziol@lgf.org.uk

08453 30 30 30

www.lgf.org.uk/policy-research/SOM

North West