On the 4th March 2025, a Trans and Gender Diverse Health Needs Assessment for Lancashire, authored by Dr Sonia Chauhan (ST2) and Dr Michael Alexander, was launched. Lancashire LGBT was an official partner to this project, and many of the responses were completed by our service users.
There is evidence that the trans and gender diverse population (TGD) experience health inequalities in the UK. Ultimately, this results in higher levels of mortality compared to cisgender people (people who do not experience discomfort or distress regarding their birth sex), with concerns around suicide and self-harm. However, there is still much that is not known, with research tending to focus on mental health, substance use disorders and communicable disease such as HIV. Less research has looked at non-communicable disease or the determinants of health for TGD people.
Guided by a steering group including local experts who work with TGD people, this project aimed to better understand the health needs of the trans and gender diverse population in Lancashire. Local data was collected through an online survey hosted by the charity Lancashire LGBT which gathered both quantitative and qualitative data.
The report covers a range of topics including demographics; physical, mental and sexual health, access to and experience of services and social determinants of health.
The recommendations are split into four key themes:
- Building a bigger, safer world for TGD people
- Celebrating progress and positive stories
- Designing in inclusion
- Creating a confident and inclusive workforce, championing diversity
We invite you to view the full report here and share with colleagues and partners.
“This health needs assessment is a vital opportunity to understand the experiences and challenges faced by trans and gender diverse people across Lancashire. Working together to address the recommendations will help us ensure that future health and wellbeing provision is informed by this evidence and truly meets the needs of the communities.”
Dianne Draper
Consultant in Public Health, Blackpool Council and Public Health Collaborative Lead
“This is the first Trans and Gender Diverse Health Needs Assessment conducted in the North West. It is a really important piece of work, providing much-needed evidence of the health inequalities that local Trans and Gender Diverse people experience, which we hope will inform local decision-making in health moving forward.”
Lewis Turner
Chief Executive, Lancashire LGBT and TGD HNA Steering Group Chair
