While healthcare professionals generally have a positive attitude towards LGBTQ+ young people in paediatric emergency departments (EDs), many feel they lack skills in this area, particularly when it comes to transgender patients, a new study has found.

This marks the first time competence in caring for LGBTQ+ patients has been assessed among paediatric emergency medicine practitioners. Seventy-one participants took part – 40 doctors and 31 nurses.

According to the findings, the mean score for attitudinal awareness was 6.54/7, suggesting overall positive attitudes. However, when it came to knowledge and skills, the scores were lower – 5.34/7 for knowledge and just 3.39/7 for clinical preparedness.

The study also found that healthcare professionals were less confident about caring for transgender patients than LGB patients. Furthermore, when asked if they had received adequate training in caring for transgender young people, the mean score was just 2.11/7.

The study was carried out by researchers at Trinity College Dublin, Children’s Health Ireland and University College Dublin. It was conducted across three paediatric EDs and one urgent care centre. Participants were required to complete the LGBT-Development of Clinical Skills Scale self-assessment tool of clinical competence.

According to Eilísh Hardiman, CEO of Children’s Health Ireland, this research “will play an important part in our ongoing development of services for our LGBTQ+ patients in Children’s Health Ireland at Crumlin, Temple Street, Tallaght and Connolly Hospitals”.

“Of particular note in the report is that patients are actively seeking LGBTQ+ friendly clinicians. Our Rainbow Badge initiative gives staff a way to show that Children’s Health Ireland offers open, non-judgmental and inclusive care for children, young people and their families who identify as LGBTQ+ and is one of the ways we aim to make a positive difference by promoting a message of inclusion,” she explained.

The importance of inclusivity was also highlighted by Prof Anne Higgins, who was lead advisor on the study and is a national expert on the health needs of LGBTQ+ people in Ireland.

“Healthcare practitioners who work from a position of inclusivity can make a significant impact on the lives of young LGBTQ+ who continue to face significant social stigmatisation, discrimination, and marginalisation. This study is an important first step in opening a national conversation about the education of paediatric ED staff in caring for LGBTQ+ young people,” she said.

Meanwhile, according to the study’s lead researcher, Dr Dani Hall, a consultant in paediatric emergency medicine at CHI Crumlin, better training in this area is needed.

“It’s extremely encouraging to see such positive attitudes in our staff. However, the lack of formal education historically for healthcare professionals has led to a knowledge gap and lack of clinical preparedness, which in turn may lead to negative encounters with LGBTQ+ young people, despite our best intentions. We need formal training at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels to close this gap,” she commented.

The study is published in the journal Archives of Disease in Childhood and can be viewed here.