TY - JOUR T1 - The NHS England Fundamental Information Standard for Monitoring Sexual Orientation JF - British Journal of General Practice JO - Br J Gen Pract SP - 94 LP - 95 DO - 10.3399/bjgp19X701213 VL - 69 IS - 679 AU - Alex Pollard AU - Jasmin Bradley AU - Max Cooper AU - Shanu Sadhwani AU - Antonia Northam AU - Carrie Llewellyn Y1 - 2019/02/01 UR - http://bjgp.org/content/69/679/94.abstract N2 - In October 2017 NHS England launched the Fundamental Information Standard for Monitoring the Sexual Orientation of patients/service users (aged ≥16 years) in all health services and local authorities with responsibilities for adult social care. This acts as a pilot for a unified information standard and is being shared with other UK home nations.1This announcement has been misreported in the media and prompted objections from the Family Doctor Association, but extensive research has shown that negative reactions are typically based on uncontextualised assumptions about the process and feasibility of monitoring patient sexual orientation (Box 1).2–4Box 1. Standardised monitoring question, response items, and coding1Which of the following options best describes how you think of yourself? Heterosexual or straightGay or lesbianBisexualOther sexual orientation not listed U. Person was asked and does not know or is not sureZ. Not stated (person was asked but declined to provide a response)Not known (not recorded)This article contextualises the introduction of the information standard and reports unpublished data from a survey exploring the attitudes of general practice staff in England towards monitoring sexual orientation.News coverage has reported challenges to the value and purpose of such monitoring, but it has been consistently shown that significant and unaddressed health inequities exist among lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) people compared with the general population, including: self-harm and suicide, smoking, alcohol and drug use, eating disorders, domestic abuse, some cancers, and increased isolation/vulnerability in old age, as well as men’s sexual health.5–7 UK research has also shown lower rates of LGB access to health services, avoidance of screening … ER -