NHS Grampians Pride is leading way for LGBT

A trailblazing team from the health board has been working hard to promote an LGBT-friendly message among both staff and patients.

The recent push has seen the creation of rainbow-coloured NHS Grampian badges, colourful lanyards to hold staff passes, and painting benches around the Foresterhill campus in bright colours.

The most high-profile move saw staff and their families take part in the Grampian Pride parade, held on the citys Union Street in May.

Nigel Firth, equality and diversity manager at NHS Grampian, said the health board has always been LGBT-friendly but said they wanted to make sure the message was more visible. He said:

We tried various ways but about a year ago a little rectangular badge dropped through my letter box. Its an idea from the south of England where staff wear this kind of badge and it encourages LGBT discussions. I wore it for a month and in that month I had six discussions. Four with patients and two with staff, neither of whom were out.Obviously this worked and I was really impressed by it.

Read the full story on the Evening Express