Our first LGBT event attracted guests from across Yorkshire as well as CHFT colleagues - and a pledge of more to come!

The four speakers spoke movingly - and amusingly - about their own personal experiences and the care they received as patients in the NHS.

Our Chief Exec Owen Williams welcomed them to Ingleton Falls restaurant yesterday evening. He said "You don't choose diversity. You don't opt-in or opt-out. If we want to create the right environment for our patients then diversity matters".

Alexandra Norrish, Programme Director from South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw, said: "Since moving into the NHS this is the first time in a conversation LGBT has been mentioned. Gay marriage and having Susan Calman on Strictly is not enough".

Bradford's Chief Nurse Karen Dawber said there were many offensive labels about gay women. For her the most important labels were "mum", "wife", "auntie" and "daughter", showing a selection of her family photos. 

Her favourite label was "authentic" adding: "If we are authentic to ourselves, our patients and our colleagues, we can understand them and understand their needs".

Kate Bell gave our Yorkshire Fertility service five stars for the care she and her same sex partner had resulting in the birth of their baby daughter. She said "Yorkshire Fertility was a very welcoming environment with no judgement or discrimination". She added other clinical experiences in the NHS had left her feeling angry, defensive and vulnerable.

Tim Fagan, former chair of Calderdale LGBT Network, said during the 1980's when he went for an HIV test his GP told him his lifefstyle was inappropriate and this had left him devastated.

Closing the event, Owen said "I have three boys and I do not want them growing up in a world where differences inhibit who they are. We have to do something about it."