Staff experiences of wearing the Rainbow Badge in a paediatric hospital setting: a mixed-methods survey

This study aimed to assess staff's experience of wearing the Health Service Executive (HSE) Rainbow Badge, a symbol of inclusion for LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning; + signifying inclusivity of all sexual and gender identities) people, in a paediatric hospital setting.

This was a cross-sectional multisite observational study. Participants completed an anonymous online survey, consisting of open and closed-ended questions covering domains of: responses to the badge from staff and patients; experience and impact of wearing the badge; and further training needs.

All five sites (four clinical and one non-clinical) pertaining to the Children's Health Ireland healthcare group.

All staff, clinical and non-clinical, who had signed up the HSE Rainbow Badge initiative were eligible to participate.

A total of 151 eligible participants across a mix of disciplines participated, 29 (19.2%) of whom were members of the LGBTQ+ community. Over half (58.9%, n=89) of respondents said they learnt something new about barriers to care for LGBTQ+ young people from the initiative. Staff reported mostly positive responses to the badge; 5.1% reported mixed/negative responses from colleagues, 4.5% reported mixed/negative responses from young people and 3.7% reported mixed/negative responses from families. Open-ended questions were analysed using a thematic analysis framework. Five themes emerged: pride, a symbol of safety and inclusion, impact on workplace culture, awareness of LGBTQ+ issues and more to do for LGBTQ+ patients.

This study demonstrates that the Rainbow Badge initiative increases staff awareness of LGBTQ+ issues and helps to create a safe, inclusive environment for staff, young people and families.