Queen’s University Belfast’s Nursing And Midwifery Network Making The Invisible Visible

A research project, funded by the Burdett Trust for Nursing, involving collaborators from Schools of Nursing and Midwifery across the UK and Ireland, identified views and experiences of academics in relation to LGBTQ+ health within nursing and midwifery pre-registration programmes. The aim was to identify current content, identify best practice, and develop content for a Best Education Practice Guide. 

The report, entitled Making the Invisible Visible, showed a lack of consistency in the inclusion of LGBTQ+ content in training programmes. It also highlighted barriers to LGBTQ+ health that need to be addressed. The report sets out six recommendations, including the set-up of a network which will help develop and integrate LGBTQ+ health content within education programmes to improve the experiences of LGBTQ+ people when accessing healthcare. 

Welcoming the first network of its kind, Professor Michael Brown, Director of Graduate Studies at Queen’s School of Nursing and Midwifery, said: “This new and innovative LGBTQ+ health network for nursing and midwifery academics is an exciting development that creates the opportunity to grow and develop education programmes.  

“Many LGBTQ+ people experience significant health inequalities and barriers arising from stigma, fear of discrimination and negative past experiences with some health professionals lacking knowledge, skills and confidence in the delivery of care and support.  

“This research shows the need for a consistent approach to LGBTQ+ healthcare education as, although many are attempting to include LGBTQ+ health within programmes, there is a lack of necessary knowledge and skills to effectively develop the subject area. 

“By bringing together nursing and midwifery academics from across the UK and Ireland, there is an opportunity to share teaching and learning practice to improve the knowledge and skills of students, essential as the future health workforce, and improve the experiences of LGBTQ+ people when accessing healthcare.”