Opening Doors London, the charity for older LGBT people, is seeking donations and volunteers.
The service, run by Age UK, offers information, help, ‘befrienders’ and social activities for lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people over the age of 50.
It is estimated that there are 100,000 older LGBT people in the capital and Opening Doors London says many are isolated from family and friends.

Opening Doors London, the charity for older LGBT people, is seeking donations and volunteers.
The service, run by Age UK, offers information, help, ‘befrienders’ and social activities for lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people over the age of 50.
It is estimated that there are 100,000 older LGBT people in the capital and Opening Doors London says many are isolated from family and friends.

Although the new policy is a big improvement on the existing discriminatory rules, a 12-month ban is still excessive and unjustified. Most gay and bisexual men do not have HIV and will never have HIV. If they always have safe sex with a condom, have only one partner and test HIV negative, their blood is safe to donate. They can and should be allowed to help save lives by becoming donors.
I have been campaigning for 20 years for an evidence-based policy which protects the blood supply while not needlessly discriminating against men who’ve had sex with men.

Although the new policy is a big improvement on the existing discriminatory rules, a 12-month ban is still excessive and unjustified. Most gay and bisexual men do not have HIV and will never have HIV. If they always have safe sex with a condom, have only one partner and test HIV negative, their blood is safe to donate. They can and should be allowed to help save lives by becoming donors.
I have been campaigning for 20 years for an evidence-based policy which protects the blood supply while not needlessly discriminating against men who’ve had sex with men.

The Department of Health has announced it will remove the lifetime blood donation ban on any man who has ever had gay sex.
Instead, there will be a one-year deferral period, meaning that men who have not had gay sex in the last 12 months may donate blood.
The change comes into force in England, Wales and Scotland on November 7th. Northern Ireland has not yet decided whether it will relax the rules.

The Department of Health has announced it will remove the lifetime blood donation ban on any man who has ever had gay sex.
Instead, there will be a one-year deferral period, meaning that men who have not had gay sex in the last 12 months may donate blood.
The change comes into force in England, Wales and Scotland on November 7th. Northern Ireland has not yet decided whether it will relax the rules.

The Department of Health has announced it will remove the lifetime blood donation ban on any man who has ever had gay sex.
Instead, there will be a one-year deferral period, meaning that men who have not had gay sex in the last 12 months may donate blood.
The change comes into force in England, Wales and Scotland on November 7th. Northern Ireland has not yet decided whether it will relax the rules.

The lifetime ban on blood donation by men who have had sex with men is expected to be lifted in the UK later today.
Since the 1980s AIDS crisis, gay men have been banned from donating blood because of the risk of HIV contamination.
Although blood is screened for HIV and other infections prior to being given to donors, there is a ‘window period’ since infection during which time it is not always possible to detect the presence of HIV.

A study of American medical schools suggests that they are not giving students enough training on lesbian, bisexual, gay and transgender issues.
According to the research, most medical schools provide just five hours on LGBT health issues, while one third offer no training on the matter at all.
Previous studies show that LGBT people are more likely to smoke, drink, use drugs and suffer mental ill health than the general population.
Gay men are more at risk of HIV, while lesbians are less likely to attend cervical cancer screening.

A study of American medical schools suggests that they are not giving students enough training on lesbian, bisexual, gay and transgender issues.
According to the research, most medical schools provide just five hours on LGBT health issues, while one third offer no training on the matter at all.
Previous studies show that LGBT people are more likely to smoke, drink, use drugs and suffer mental ill health than the general population.
Gay men are more at risk of HIV, while lesbians are less likely to attend cervical cancer screening.