PP-64 Exploring palliative and end of life care experiences of LGBTQ+ people from diverse ethnic communities in the UK

Background Access to palliative care remains a challenge for many communities who face barriers grounded in structural and societal inequities. There is a lack of research into the palliative care experiences of LGBTQ+ people from diverse ethnic Backgrounds. This study builds on previous research to address gaps in knowledge and practice.1 2 Aims To explore the palliative and end of life care experiences of LGBTQ+ people from diverse ethnic groups and to identify opportunities to address inequities using the C-CARE Methodology.3 Methods C-CARE is an equity-focused methodological approach to explore the healthcare experiences of marginalised people. Methods included community engagement, coproduction, arts-based workshops and semi-structured interviews. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyse the data and inform study findings - visualised by an artist with lived experience to produce community-facing and practitioner education resources. Findings Findings were organised into two categories: ‘Barriers’ and ‘Enablers and Improvements’. Participants described how experiences of racism, homophobia and transphobia shaped expectations of care and fear of exclusion within palliative care. Barriers included limited understanding of intersecting identities, over-reliance on Western medical models and perceptions of people being ‘too complex’ for services. Participants also highlighted the Impact of childhood healthcare trauma, structural inequities and socio-political tensions, raising both ethical and practical concerns. Enablers focused on workforce representation, confident and curious practitioners and opportunities for people to guide their own care. Participants identified visible inclusivity, co-production and community education as essential for moving beyond treating everyone ‘equally’. Conclusion Historical inequities in healthcare influence expectations and experiences of palliative care. Advancing equity requires collaborative and co-produced approaches, embedding lived experience and centring community voices to inform service design and delivery. Impact This study listens to LGBTQ+ voices from diverse ethnic Backgrounds, guiding practitioners, policymakers and researchers. Findings and resources increase awareness and challenge systemic inequities to advance equitable palliative care. References Jerwood J, Allen G. No barriers here: for people excluded by identity, culture, ethnicity and race [Internet]. 2023 [cited 2023 Sep 30]. Available from: https://www.nobarriershere.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/No-Barriers-Here-ICER-Research-Report-March-2023.pdf Jerwood J, Juffs H, Allen G, Humphries-Massey C, Wakefield D, Hudson S, et al. It’s more than rainbows in receptions’ – working with LGBTQ+ people in palliative and end-of-life care. Stourbridge; 2024. Jerwood J, Allen G. The development of C-CARE - an arts-based, co-produced research methodology for understanding and addressing inequalities in healthcare. Int J Qual Methods [Internet]. 2025 Jul [cited 2025 Aug 28];24. Available from: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/16094069251360307