NHS ‘failing to meet needs of gay and bisexual men’

Gay and bisexual men in the UK are not currently seeing their specific health needs met by NHS services, according to a major new report.

A health survey carried out by charity group Stonewall has revealed that although gay and bisexual males are more likely to smoke, drink, take illegal drugs, attempt suicide and suffer from depression, health services remain overly fixated on sexual health issues among this group.

Only a quarter of those polled said they had been given information relevant to their sexual orientation by healthcare workers, while one-third of those using healthcare services in the last year said they had a negative experience relating to their sexuality.

Other statistics show that a quarter of gay and bisexual men have never been tested for a sexually-transmitted infection, while three in ten have never had an HIV test, despite early detection being a public health priority.

Stonewall chief executive Ben Summerskill said: "Hundreds of thousands of gay and bisexual men are in dire need of better support from health professionals."

Last year, the government agreed to lift the blanket ban on blood donations from gay and bisexual men, a move welcomed by Stonewall as a "step in the right direction".