June is Pride Month, and to mark it we are sharing some of the work we have been doing to make sure everyone feels welcome, respected, and included at St Wilfrid’s Hospice.

As part of this we have improved how we record and use demographic information. We are pleased to share that we now hold demographic data for more than half of people using our services, an improvement from the 18% recorded two years ago. This gives us a better picture of who we support and where we may need to go further.

Why this matters

At the end of life, feeling seen, respected, and understood is incredibly important for everyone. For LGBTQ+ people, there are often extra concerns. Will staff and volunteers understand LGBTQ+ experiences? Is it safe to openly talk about relationships and chosen family? Will my identity will be respected in care decisions?

Without good-quality data, it is hard for us to know if we are reaching everyone, and to make sure all of our patients receive equitable care.

What we’ve learned about LGBTQ+ inclusion

Our latest data shows:

• 78.4% of patients are recorded as heterosexual.
• 19.6% of sexual orientation data is not recorded.
• Among patients where sexual orientation is recorded, around 97.5% are heterosexual.

When we compare this with local population data (where around 88.1% of people identify as heterosexual), it suggests that non-heterosexual people may be under-represented amongst hospice patients.

We know less about how well non-binary and transgender communities are represented amongst our patients. We have updated our ‘about you’ patient questionnaire to help us gather this information more accurately, and we are hoping to be able to report on this soon.

Whilst the data suggests we may have more to do to ensure LGBTQ+ communities are accessing our services, we are also conscious that there may be other factors at play. Perhaps people are not feeling comfortable sharing their sexual orientation or gender identity, or we need to improve how we ask and record this information.

What we’re doing next

We recognise there is more to do, and we are committed to making meaningful improvements. Our priorities include:

• Improving data collection so that sexual orientation and gender identity is recorded more consistently.
• Building staff and volunteer confidence in having inclusive, respectful conversations.
• Making inclusion visible through our messaging, policies, and environment.
• Strengthening our understanding of LGBTQ+ people’s experiences and needs.

Our commitment

Pride Month is an opportunity to reflect, but this work continues all year round.

At St Wilfrid’s, we want everyone to feel that they belong, that their identity is valued, and that they will be cared for with dignity and compassion. By improving how we listen, learn, and act, we are taking important steps toward making that a reality for all.

Get in touch

We are always keen to hear the voices of people with lived experience. If you are a member of the LGBTQ+ community and would like to talk to us about your experience of hospice care, or any concerns you may have about accessing hospice care, please get in touch by emailing us at FREDIE@stwhospice.org

Further information

Hiding who I am: The reality of end of life care for LGBT people (Marie Curie): https://www.mariecurie.org.uk/globalassets/media/documents/policy/policy-publications/hiding-who-i-am-the-reality-of-end-of-life-care-for-lgbt-people.pdf

I just want to be me: Trans and Gender Diverse Communities’ Access to and Experiences of Palliative & End of Life Care (Hospice UK): https://www.hospiceuk.org/publications-and-resources/i-just-want-be-me