Health information

Older gay, lesbian and bisexual people tend to use health services less than heterosexual people. Research has shown that only a third of gay men, lesbians and bisexuals aged 50 and over believe that health professionals are positive towards them. Having worries about being discriminated against can make seeking advice and information difficult. 

One way forward is to try and establish a good relationship with your GP. It should be possible to do a little research to find out if your GP practice is gay, lesbian or bisexual 'friendly'. This could include the direct route of calling and asking them (you could do this anonymously), or more indirect routes such as asking your local Primary Care Trust if they can recommend a practice or asking a local organisation such as a 'gay switchboard' or advice centre.

Another route is to identify specialist gay, lesbian or bisexual health services. The Internet can be a very useful resource for this. Many areas now have specialist services that are at least partly funded by the NHS.

Also see our page of Useful organisations that may be able to help.