Sexual orientation

Nearly three percent of the workforce shared with us that they identify as lesbian, gay or bisexual (LGB). This is static for over the past three years. On average higher paid staff were less likely to share they were LGB. The Trust became Stonewall Diversity Champions in 2020. 

Staff identifying as gay or lesbian score the same as Trust average for their perceptions of equality, diversity and inclusion. There are 42 registered members of the LGBTQ++ network. 

Across 2020-21 the Trust continued its work to promote equality between people of all sexual orientations, including lesbian, gay, bisexual (LGB) and straight people. Key achievements include: 

• Rolling out Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Training 
• Becoming Stonewall Diversity Champions 
• Producing a Pride magazine and sending out Pride cupcakes to all inpatient services 

Key findings - sexual orientation

Workforce sexual orientation representation - Amber

• The number of people sharing their sexual orientation with the Trust at 31 March 2021 was 2,884 or 82.5% of the workforce. 
• Staff sharing that they were Heterosexual was the largest group at 79.6% (n. 2,782), followed by the group of staff sharing that they do not wish to disclose at 17.4% (n. 608), then by staff who shared they identified as either lesbian or gay at 1.8% (n. 64) staff who shared they were bisexual at 0.94% (n. 33) and lastly was 0.11% (n.4) of staff who selected their sexual orientation as “other”. 
• Staff in Agenda for Change (AfC) pay group 1-4 had the largest proportion identifying as LGB on their staff record at 3.3% (n.52), compared to 2.7% in the workforce overall. 
• Correspondingly the lowest proportion of LGB on staff records was in Agenda for Change pay bands 5-7 at 1.7% (n.5), hence the amber rating for this measure. 

Safe environment (bullying and harassment) by sexual orientation - Amber

• The Trust average score was 8.0 out of 10 from 1,934 staff. The group with the lowest score was those staff describing themselves as other at 6.3; 1.4 less than the 7.7 average other score in the mental health provider benchmark. Staff who preferred not to say were next lowest at 7.4; 0.2 difference to their mental health provider benchmark, followed by bisexual staff at 7.5, 0.2 less than the bisexual staff mental health provider benchmark. 

Staff experiencing harassment from colleagues by sexual orientation - Amber

• 31.3% (n.5) of those staff declaring as other experienced at least one incident of bullying, harassment or abuse from their colleagues. There were decreases for staff of all sexual orientations, except an increase of thirteen percent (30.6%) for bisexual staff (n.12). 

Staff experiencing harassment from patients by sexual orientation - Amber

• All groups experienced harassment from patients with those identifying as other at the highest with 47% (n.8) and those identifying as heterosexual or straight the lowest at 31.3% (n.517). Every group experiencing harassment from patients decreased except for a 0.5% increase for those identifying as gay or lesbian.

Sexual orientation equality, diversity & inclusion score - Amber

• The Trust average score was 8.9 out of 10 for all 2,015 staff. The group with the lowest scores were bisexual and other at 8.5, 0.2 less than the mental health provider bisexual benchmark, followed by other at 8.9, which was very slightly better than the mental provider gay staff benchmark. 

Stonewall Diversity Champions 

• The Trust became Stonewall Diversity Champions in 2020 allowing the Trust use of the Diversity Champion logo to use on promotional materials, listing KMPT on the Proud Employers careers site and setting the Trust out as an inclusive employer of choice. There was also access to an annual series of seminars and webinars which the Trust were unable to take full advantage of due to Covid-19. 

Fig. 18 Workforce by sexual orientation 

• Heterosexual 79.6 per cent
• Lesbian or gay 1.8 per cent
• Bisexual 0.94 per cent
• Do not wish to disclose 17.4 per cent

Fig. 20 Bullying & harassment score (sexual orientation) 

• Prefer not to say 7.4
• Gay or lesbian 7.8
• Heterosexual 8.2
• Other 6.3
• Bisexual 7.5

Next steps for sexual orientation equality 2021-22

• Redesigning logo of LGBTQ++ network to use the inclusive progress flag 
• Develop a WRES/WDES style report for sexual orientation