Sexual orientation: a practical guide for the National Health Service (NHS) in England

This document gives practical advice to enable NHS organisations in England to address their responsibilities relating to sexual orientation and employment or healthcare delivery. (Department of Health - publications)

Produced by the Department of Health (DH), it aims at helping NHS organisations to comply with recent equality legislation, understand the role of sexual orientation in the context of healthcare, and integrate this knowledge into single equality schemes (SES). Other guides in this series cover disability, gender, religion or belief, and trans people. Age Concern are producing a companion guide to age equality. The Race for Health programme provides extensive guidance and support for the NHS on issues of race.
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Recently, a number of legal measures have required people to be treated equally regardless of sexual orientation.

• In 2001, the age of consent was equalised at 16 for all

• In 2003, the Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations made it unlawful to discriminate against a person in employment and training on the grounds of sexual orientation

• Since November 2004, the Civil Partnership Act has given same‑sex partners clear legal rights, similar to those previously only available to married couples

• Since April 2007, the Equality Act (Sexual Orientation Regulations) 2007 has prohibited discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation in the provision of goods, facilities and services.