6 Acknowledgement of the need to endorse and exercise the rights of LGBTI people are increasing within the EU where people are broadly protected against discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation (lesbian, gay, bisexual people), gender identity (trans people) and sex characteristics (intersex people). Major legislative reform in recent years have resulted in significant progress towards achieving equality for LGBT people. 11–13 LGBTI patients can face bias and discrimination in healthcare settings, 13, 14 with trans patients reporting most dissatisfaction resulting in some avoiding medical treatment, including emergency care. 10 Evidence suggests that LGBTI people are more likely than the general population to report unfavourable experiences of healthcare including poor communication from health professionals and dissatisfaction with treatment and care received.
7–9 This emphasis is vital as inequalities impact on both the health outcomes of LGBTI people as well as their experiences of accessing healthcare. 1–6 Reducing health inequalities is a fundamental goal of public health and is regarded by the European Union (EU) as being one of the most important public health challenges facing its Member States. International research increasingly demonstrates that lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex (LGBTI) people are frequently marginalized and experience significant health inequalities.
