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GPs to ask about sexual orientation

(100 Posts)
Baggs Sun 15-Oct-17 07:41:00

In the news today there's a report that GPs are to ask every face-to-face patient over 16 what their sexual orientation is. Nice way to put people in boxes.

In a Times leader today it says this: "The LGBT Foundation, which has been working with the NHS, says only 8% of LGB (lesbian, gay, bisexual; the T is for transgender) people in Greater Manchester have never experienced a mental health problem."

Could the reason for that statistic possibly be that one's sexual orientation being different from one's obvious biology (I chose 'obvious biology' carefully) is the cause of mental health problems? I'm wondering this as opposed to supposing that there is some other (or several other) reason why mental illness is so common in LGBT people. I am not, yet, arguing a case either way; I'm asking a question.

Because the rate of mental illness in non-LGBT people could be just as high for all I know. And because on the surface it doesn't seem like such a strange thing to ask. We know that other animal species experience L, G, and possibly B. So I wonder what their mental illness statistics are like.

Christinefrance Tue 17-Oct-17 12:07:24

Once again minority groups make an issue for everyone. It seems that heterosexual Christians are always sidelined now.
I have no problem with anyone's orientation, race or religion but I do object to being made to feel out of step.

lemongrove Tue 17-Oct-17 11:33:52

?
No idea.

Blinko Tue 17-Oct-17 11:07:31

Good grief, what's Q and Plus??

Nelliemoser Mon 16-Oct-17 23:34:59

I wonder what my GP will ask me when I next see him?
He keeps pasting bits of me back together.

prestbury Mon 16-Oct-17 22:58:48

In this day and age I understand the PC need to ask such probing questions although they usually have no bearing on the situation.

Having said that I am sure me saying 'preferably on top' would not be the expected answer.

IngeJones Mon 16-Oct-17 19:54:20

There are already the 10yr census forms for predicting social needs like schools and hospital wards. The orientation if needed can go onto that.

Grandmama Mon 16-Oct-17 19:29:45

I thought that the reason for the question was so that the NHS could ensure that everyone received appropriate treatment. I wonder if that applies to the continuing mixed wards confused. The UK seems to be increasingly at the mercy of minority groups such as the LGBT. Muslims are a minority group in the UK but there is a lot of bowing to the demands of their religion. I'm sure many of us are eating halal meat because of the over-riding demands of Islam angry

durhamjen Mon 16-Oct-17 18:05:27

Lots of doctors don't want to ask it anyway.

www.theweek.co.uk/89032/nhs-doctor-rebellion-over-patient-sexual-orientation-qa

MawBroon Mon 16-Oct-17 17:27:17

Thank goodness this didn’t occur today when poor Paw was dropping his breeks in front of a VERY pretty young doctor to have his nether regions examined grin

lovebeigecardigans1955 Mon 16-Oct-17 17:19:41

I'm sure that if a patient has been married for thirty years it is fairly obvious that they are probably heterosexual. If the question is asked you could always say 'mind your own business.' As I'm widowed and am asked I might say 'heterosexual - retired' - got a box for that?

Marieeliz Mon 16-Oct-17 16:58:37

This really makes me laugh, I had to explain to my Mum when she was 75 what a lesbian was. I must admit I didn' t know much about the subject myself at the time.

maryeliza54 Mon 16-Oct-17 16:40:54

If I were asked the question, I’d be polite and if I didn’t want to answer it, I’d just say that

Nannacat Mon 16-Oct-17 16:33:39

I would say N. O.Y .B ( none of your buisness ) ?

maryeliza54 Mon 16-Oct-17 16:22:14

I think there’s quite a lot of huffing and puffing on this thread and some downright scaremongering. No one has to ask the question, no one has to answer it and it’s not coming in until 2019 anyway. It’s nothing to do with transvestism or transgenderism. Personally, I think it’s not a good idea because of the reaction many people will have to it so any data collected would not be statistically meaningful.

willa45 Mon 16-Oct-17 16:09:45

No one gets to choose their sexual orientation or their God given anatomy any more than they choose to be tall, short, intellectually gifted or mentally challenged.

Historically, I can only think of the reprehensible ways that people have been ridiculed, shamed, insulted, shunned, physically assaulted and even murdered for being gay, transgender and all the shades in between.

Re: Questionnaire: Just remember that A. Whatever goes on record, can remain so for a very long time. B. A government run healthcare system can use that kind of information for many different reasons. C. You should be under no obligation to respond.

Maggiemaybe Mon 16-Oct-17 15:45:20

I can't see it that way, grandtanteJE65. It just smacks more to me of the powers that be trying to look oh so PC, and failing miserably. There are going to be so many "prefer not to say" or deliberately incorrect boxes ticked that it will be useless information statistically.

There are Q and Plus categories these days for those still questioning their sexuality, but these might not be offered.

grandtanteJE65 Mon 16-Oct-17 15:35:40

I very much doubt that there are any good reasons regarding health for asking people what their sexual orientation is. To me this sounds like society swinging back to condemning homosexuality and transvestism.

It is also rather ridiculous to ask youngsters in the 16-20 age group, as many of them are experimenting both with members of the same and of the opposite sex and have not yet found out, where their preference lies.

I object very strongly to anyone employed in a government capacity asking these kinds of questions . Frankly I get goose-flesh at the very idea and see Hitler's death camps before my inner eye!

MaryXYX Mon 16-Oct-17 14:41:42

I think it's part of over officious government wanting to know more and more about us. A likely result would be that people who were hetero would say so, and others would leave it as "not stated". Then the government could say there weren't as many gay people as we thought, so they can be ignored. The only time I can see it being relevant is at a sexual health clinic.

To the original post - there is a strong correlation between being abused and having mental illness. If you are one of the parents who beat children who say they are gay, then you will have children with mental illnesses.

TellNo1Ok Mon 16-Oct-17 14:15:15

When being asked officially a question they do not want to answer, my grandchildren all write / say KLINGON'S ...

I'd like to remember to use this answer if / when GP asks me...

What's your sexuality =Klingon....

Could catch on

VIOLETTE Mon 16-Oct-17 14:06:32

I'm afraid these questions make me laugh ! /surely if an LGBT person had a problem with that, it would be up to them to TELL the medical person, not to be asked ! Dosen't bother me at all ...but it would definitely bother my husband, who is of the old fashioned school of Alf Garnet thought ...nearly got into a punch up one night in our local bar in Spain when a well known T man ( yes, man) turned up in a dress and high heels ........I would love for our doctor to ask him and see what happens ! I dislike being asked for my 'Significant other' when completing any hospital forms ....grr LOVE the song L.O.L..A Lola .......#I know I'm a man, so is LOLA# .....always makes me laugh ! (look it up on You Tube if you don't know it ...Kinks ) grin

Coconut Mon 16-Oct-17 13:41:26

Surely our sexuality is our own concern and no business of anybody else’s whatsoever ?

pollyperkins Mon 16-Oct-17 13:08:33

I would guess that it's nothing about health issues or prediction but to find out if they are inclusive. In other words, NOT discriminating. The same applies to the National Trust. In education for a long time people (staff & pupil parents) have been asked about race - not to discriminate but to make sure they are 'inclusive'. ) It's often musunderstood and I think its very unhelpful. I worked with a man (a teacher) who, when asked what colour he was put 'pinkish grey' which was pretty accurate!

Skweek1 Mon 16-Oct-17 12:57:47

I can't see why they keep asking about sexual orientation. It's no-one's business except for those actually involved. And to say that it's because all LGBT are prone to depression, hate to say it but it seems today that because of our increasingly pressurised lives, so are many "normal hetero" people! Our last GP surgery tended to diagnose depression in virtually every single patient and dished out anti-depressant drugs like sweeties regardless. Then we were on them either for life or until we changed practice. We chose the latter option!

gagsy Mon 16-Oct-17 12:51:12

The world has gone mad.
On receiving a questionnaire from people building a new road I replied that my sexual orientation was none of the business and certainly nothing to do with spreading tarmac
on a road which they
should have finished long since!!

tonibolt Mon 16-Oct-17 12:27:43

I used to work at a community hospital where 99% of the patients were over retirement age. This question was supposed to be asked, as part of the admissions process, but a lot of the staff felt it inappropriate and overly intrusive. We used to sidestep it by asking how they preferred to dress in the day, how they liked to be addressed, etc. I realise that isn't the same thing at all, (and a GP may have particular reasons for discussing orientation), but we tried to make everyone as comfortable as possible, in a way that suited them, feeling this was much more to the point.