Patients could be given the right to know if their doctor is transgender under government plans to crack down on wokery in the NHS.
The move would allow men and women to demand intimate check-ups and care by a medic of the same sex.
The Mail revealed earlier this year patients currently have no right to know if they are being treated by a transgender person – and face the prospect of being found guilty of discrimination if they refuse their care.
But Steve Barclay will launch a consultation later this year to will examine changing the NHS Constitution to guarantee patients’ rights to same-sex care. It would also ban transgender women from being treated on women’s wards to protect their privacy, dignity and safety, he said.
The Health Secretary yesterday told the Conservative Party conference he ordered officials to scrap an NHS training manual that told staff to declare their pronouns to patients.
Steve Barclay (pictured) will launch a consultation later this year to will examine changing the NHS Constitution to guarantee patients’ rights to same-sex care
And he revealed that ‘sex-specific language’ has been fully restored to NHS advice pages on cervical and ovarian cancer and the menopause.
It follows concerns women’s health was being put at risk by confusing public information.
The axed training manual, issued by Health Education England, said doctors, nurses and other staff should start conversations with patients by declaring their own pronouns.
Staff were advised to say if they used he/him, she/her, they/them or an alternative in order to create a ‘safe space for trans, non-binary, intersex and gender non-conforming people’.
But Mr Barclay said he had intervened as part of efforts to restore ‘simple common sense’ to the NHS. He said: ‘I know as Conservatives, we know what a woman is and I know the vast majority of hard-working NHS staff and patients do too.
Patients could be given the right to know if their doctor is transgender under government plans to crack down on wokery in the NHS (stock image)
‘That is why I… stopped the NHS from ordering staff to declare pronouns to each new patient.
‘And that is why today, I am going further; by announcing that we will change the NHS constitution… to make sure we respect the privacy, dignity and safety of all patients, recognise the importance of different biological needs and protect the rights of women.’
Suella Braverman backed the plans, telling broadcasters on a visit to Bolton: ‘The Health Secretary is absolutely right to clarify and make it clear that biological men should not have treatments in the same wards and in the same safe spaces as biological women.’
But a spokesman for Stonewall said: ‘This is a cynical attempt by the Secretary of State to ‘look busy’ – all it will achieve is to restrict access to healthcare for trans women.’
