Carers ‘need mandatory LGBT training’

According to a YouGov research, there are an estimated 1 million LGBT people over the age of 55 in the United Kingdom. They are very much more likely than their heterosexual peers to be single and live alone, and also less likely to have children or see family members hover around them.

They are also twice unlikely to rely on health and social care services and paid help.

The CQC, known to regulate the industry activities, stated that care workers were expected to have a care certificate, but there was no mandatory training in the industry.

The government has also stated that making “carer training” mandatory was not possible as care providers were private employers.

According to news published on BBC, one man told the Victoria Derbyshire programme that: Discrimination is “alive and kicking,” with many older people fearing abuse from care workers.

As published on the BBC website, Paul Webley, a coordinator at Opening Doors London says older people are right to be concerned. He said:

“I absolutely know that homophobia is alive and kicking in the care industry.

“I’ve met many people who tell me stories of carers who, when they realise they’re a gay woman or a gay man, don’t want to be washing them.”

Research carried out by LGBT rights charity Stonewall in 2011 found that half of those surveyed would not feel comfortable being “out” to care home staff and one in three would not be comfortable being out to hospital staff, a paid carer, social workers or to their housing provider.

Stonewall’s campaign director Paul Twocock said a one-size-fits-all approach to equality and diversity had created gaps in how LGBT patients of all ages were cared for.

“Health and social care staff need better equality and diversity training to understand and meet the needs of all LGBT patients and service users, including older people,” he said.

It is difficult to get official figures on the scale of the issue as the main regulatory bodies – the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman and the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman – both said they did not record complaints specifically concerning homophobia.

At whitecrest Care, it has become evident to us, that we have a good number of LGBT living in the UK, it is very true to admit that they deserve care and the very best of it. We say NO to every form of discrimination, especially against the LGBT.

In response to this menace, we are proud to offer all required and necessary training to caregivers who would work with us, so as to provide care with a touch of excellence to everyone at all times.

Detailed information about the training and upcoming with be made available on our website soon, so keep a regular visit and you would not miss out on current updates.

We move mountains for you….