Celebrating Pride | News and events

This June we are marking Pride Month across our Integrated Care System, celebrating the lives and experiences of both our LGBTQIA+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer, Intersex and Asexual+) staff and the LGBTQIA+ communities we serve. As we approach the NHS’ next big birthday in July, we look back at 75 years of progress in health and care – but we recognise there’s still more work to be done.

Fair and equal treatment for all

As an ICS one of our key priorities is to tackle health inequalities across communities in Cambridgeshire & Peterborough. We know people in LGBTQIA+ communities are more likely to live with depression, anxiety and other mental health issues, with poor mental health being more prevalent still for those LGBTQIA+ people who are young, disabled, or who are from minority ethnicity backgrounds. Research has also shown that nearly 15% of people who identify as LGBTQIA+ have avoided seeking treatment because they feared being discriminated against.

We want to make Cambridgeshire & Peterborough a place where no one is afraid to seek the help they need, whether it’s for a physical or a mental health concern. Everyone across our area, regardless of their gender identity or sexual or romantic orientation, should feel confident that they will be treated equally by local health and care services.

We recognise this starts with giving health and care staff the knowledge they need to better understand the experiences of people from LGBTQIA+ backgrounds. That’s why we’re encouraging all NHS staff in our area to complete Health Education England and NHS England’s joint LGBTQIA+ awareness training in June, so that we can better support our local communities.

Getting support with mental health concerns

We understand that you might feel more comfortable getting support with mental health concerns from people who share some of your background and life experiences. If you identify as LGBTQIA+, there are a number of national and local organisations that are here to offer you advice and peer support. You can find national organisations that are here to help you on the NHS website. If you’d rather find support from a local organisation, you can find support providers in our area via Keep Your Head Mental Health Service (keep-your-head.com).