A transgender woman woke up on a male ward after routine knee surgery, a new report has revealed.
The study found that LGBT+ women face "blatant discrimination" and a "surprising level of ignorance" in the healthcare system.
It highlights numerous cases where sexual minority women (SMW) experienced difficulties at the hands of medics and administrators.
In one case, a respondent to the research said: “In 2008 I had knee surgery and woke up on a male ward—clearly they had looked at my face and overruled my notes.”
Ignorance and discrimination continue to this day, the report , published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health found.
Others said same-sex partners were not accepted by health service workers.
One respondent wrote: “The booking clerk asked me about my marital status. I said I’m civil partnered, she said what’s that? I said this is my partner we are in a civil partnership.
"She said I’ll put you down as single.”
In another case a woman who gave birth to a girl was told by a doctor: “Oh aren’t you lucky you didn’t have a boy because you wouldn’t know how to deal with a penis."
The study uncovered evidence that many LGBT+ ended up avoiding healthcare services altogether.
Researchers, led by Professor Catherine Meads of Anglia Ruskin University (ARU), concluded: "There is clear and consistent evidence, despite limited research, that SMW face barriers to accessing and experiencing positive care.
"There is a strong need to enhance healthcare professionals’ understanding of how to provide culturally competent care for LGBT people and to understand this group’s health needs.
"Despite the fact that the NHS has a sexual orientation information standard guideline and training to support implementation, changing attitudes is not straightforward."
