Health needs of LGBTQIA+ youth

Some people are born to be nurses. These caring professionals show up for their patients every day and get to know their unique needs as individuals.  

A ‘one size fits all’ approach doesn’t work in healthcare. People are different, the care they need varies and increasingly, health professionals are required to take a ‘whole person approach’ and reduce health inequalities.  

As a school nurse, Rachel is very attuned to the young people she works with and was awarded School Nurse Student of the Year in 2023 for her work to address the unmet health needs of LGBTQIA+ young people.  

If we could create a more inclusive service where they are getting good quality care and advice, we could make a huge difference.   

It all began when Rachel designed her project for the ‘empowering populations to enhance health and wellbeing’ unit of the programme. It started off small and has gone on to have a significant impact on the LGBTQIA+ community.  

At the time, she was supporting a transgender young person and there were no resources to refer to or signpost them to. This posed a challenge, and Rachel was also aware that LGBTQIA+ young people are at massive risk of health inequalities.  

She explains “They often don’t seek support and advice from healthcare professionals for fear of discrimination. I thought, if we can change that perception while they’re in their teenage years, or younger, then we create healthy habits for life.  

“If we could create a more inclusive service where they are getting good quality care and advice, we could make a huge difference.”    

Working with a high school that had a very inclusive environment and their LGBTQIA+ support group, Rachel started her project. She held focus groups to find out what they really wanted from their school nurse and often it was just someone to talk to.  

Rachel added: “As nurses, we want to fix people and make them better, but actually, these young people don’t need fixing.”  

During the focus groups it was decided that a toolkit needed to be developed, and the young people were clear about what needed to be in it, often providing brutally honest feedback. Because the students helped to design it, the toolkit was tailored to be exactly what they wanted and needed.  

The project has made a huge difference to Stockport’s school nurses and changed how they support young people. It has also been adopted by special interest groups and parts of it feature in a national toolkit that will be used by school nurses across the UK.  

I wanted a role where I could truly make a difference, reduce health inequalities, and impact the lives of children and young people. I knew that school nursing is where I wanted to be. I absolutely love it.   

Rachel is also working with the local authority in Stockport to deliver training to staff and foster carers.   

Rachel graduated in July 2024. Her journey to becoming a nurse is inspirational. She explains:  

“I always wanted to be a nurse, though I came to nursing quite late as I had my family first. I went back to college and did the Access to Higher Education course, followed by my nursing degree.   

“I wanted a role where I could truly make a difference, reduce health inequalities, and impact the lives of children and young people. I knew that school nursing is where I wanted to be. I absolutely love it.   

“I think there’s a common misconception that school nurses are just a nit nurse, or just give vaccines but they can really make a difference to children and young people.”    

Rachel’s time at Manchester Met wasn’t without its wobbles but she describes completing her apprenticeship as life-changing and credits her tutors as incredible.