Publish date: 28 June 2022
This blog post was written by Dr Simon Draycott who is the Lead Psychologist for the Multi-Professional Team working at Broadmoor Hospital.
I’ve been an employee at West London NHS Trust for 22 years, starting in community services before shifting across to high secure services. I started being involved with the LGBT+ Staff Network in the last two years after taking on a leadership role in our psychology services.
For many years I’d been, if not closeted, then at least happy to allow others to make presumptions that I was straight rather than bisexual. I convinced myself that my sexuality was not relevant to my work and that therefore no-one needed to know. Having to step up into a leadership position made me question that, and in particular to ask myself what it meant to have integrity at work, and what example I wanted to set for those I was leading.
I made contact with the LGBT+ Staff Network and immediately found a group of colleagues who would support me and encourage me to embrace and make use of my entire self at work. My hope is that by being more visible I can provide others with the confidence and support to bring their authentic selves to their work for the Trust, and that this will be to the benefit of all of our staff and service users.
The West London NHS LGBTQ+ Network is a space for people from the community, and allies, to come together to discuss upcoming events, hear Trust-wide updates, connect with each other and share experiences.
The group welcomes members of the LGBTQ+ community, and allies, and holds a monthly meeting.
