Gransnet forums

Health

Princess Grace hospital cancelled vital surgery for woman who requested single-sex care

(846 Posts)
FarNorth Mon 31-Oct-22 15:01:30

Princess Grace hospital cancelled vital surgery for a woman who requested female-only staff and would not accept a transwoman nurse as female.

After many, many complaints from individuals HCA Healthcare UK (owner of Princess Grace Hospital) has now offered the surgery involving female-only staff, at its Wellington Hospital in London on October 31 .

mobile.twitter.com/ripx4nutmeg/status/1587082103086276609

Fleurpepper Mon 31-Oct-22 18:13:16

I really do believe there is more to this story!

Shelflife Mon 31-Oct-22 18:14:36

Sparklefizz , why do you assume I haven't been attacked?
growdstuff well ' said' I couldn't agree more!

VioletSky Mon 31-Oct-22 18:18:58

Just seems to me she has made her Surgery about trans people and supporting her beliefs/opinions rather than any real anxiety or fear.

If she has a deep rooted fear of men, as a women who looks to be an intelligent ex professional who must have existed in the world where she would be coming into contact with men...

Perhaps she should get some therapy because it's not healthy for her

Lathyrus Mon 31-Oct-22 18:18:59

If I was the management of the hospital I would be wanting to know why any member of staff was going in to a patient during an intimate procedure, when they had absolutely no reason to do so.

🤔

BeverleyJB Mon 31-Oct-22 18:19:16

VioletSky

Is this the one who instead of respectfully asking to have and all female care team, went ahead in a very derogatory way? Stating her beliefs, that she won't use pronouns, that people can't change gender and then decided she was some sort of target because someone she believed to be trans (from a quick glance) made eye contact with her?

Who is now using her surgery to get lots and lots of attention over a situation she caused by being rude?

There are ways to have your beliefs and be a polite and respectful human being.

I hope if she ever ends up in a situation where one of our trans medical community or a man saves her life she will be grateful.

If people had a DNTIBM, Do Not Treat If Biologically Male order of some description this could easily play havoc in hospitals who may not have the surgical or care staff with the correct genitals to care for people who need it.

No, this is not what happened at all. I suggest you read about what actually was requested - which was a single sex bathroom and intimate care post-operatively while she was immobilised to be given by a female member of staff only.

Not surprised at all by your comment and your unfortunate attitude given the views you usually express on here.

Whatever your opinion or imaginings of what happen to other people, women in the UK have the right to single sex provision of services both under the Equality Act and under NHS guidelines.

The woman in question is a lawyer and is absolutely clear where the lines are drawn with regard to using correct pronouns and so on. She was not rude. You should apologise for your derogatory & false remarks …..and for your rudeness.

Lathyrus Mon 31-Oct-22 18:22:32

VioletSky

Just seems to me she has made her Surgery about trans people and supporting her beliefs/opinions rather than any real anxiety or fear.

If she has a deep rooted fear of men, as a women who looks to be an intelligent ex professional who must have existed in the world where she would be coming into contact with men...

Perhaps she should get some therapy because it's not healthy for her

Don’t you think the knowledge that she would be unconscious for a number of hours was important in her fear?

It’s a bit different to just coming into contact with males in everyday life.

I mean Im fine with men in town during the day but walking home at night I’m pretty wary of the male lurking on the corner.

Circumstances make an enormous difference.

VioletSky Mon 31-Oct-22 18:22:33

Er...

No.

Lathyrus Mon 31-Oct-22 18:23:58

Oh Ok. Never been nervous of a male? You’re lucky.

FarNorth Mon 31-Oct-22 18:24:25

fleurpepper racism is not a protected belief in the UK, belief in the reality of biological sex is a protected belief.

If a white person, in apartheid S Africa, had been attacked by a black woman and if statistics showed that black women were a significant risk to white people, perhaps that white person would be reasonable, rather than prejudiced, in your scenario .

Those things did not apply to black women, and do apply to men in general.

Allsorts Mon 31-Oct-22 18:24:38

I think it’s unrealistic to have an all female team. I can’t see a problem with her not accepting a trans as female, it’s up to her what she thinks, but it shouldn’t affect their role as a health professional. It’s who is available and the best person available to carry out the procedure. She either needed the surgery or didn’t.

VioletSky Mon 31-Oct-22 18:27:53

VioletSky

Er...

No.

For Beverly

I'm not derogatory or rude, I've read about the situation and have shared my opinion based on that

Glorianny Mon 31-Oct-22 18:30:07

I think asking for an all female team might be difficult to comply with. There are significantly fewer women surgeons In 2020, there were 10 420 consultants and 6525 registrars working in one of the 10 surgical specialties in the UK, of which 1680 (16.1%) and 2230 (34.2%) were female, respectively.

FarNorth Mon 31-Oct-22 18:31:00

As a customer of a, no doubt very expensive, private hospital this woman should have had much better communication from them if they had difficulty with her request.

Several people here are saying the transwoman was not involved in her care.
Why then did he approach her at all?

VioletSky Mon 31-Oct-22 18:31:37

Allsorts

I think it’s unrealistic to have an all female team. I can’t see a problem with her not accepting a trans as female, it’s up to her what she thinks, but it shouldn’t affect their role as a health professional. It’s who is available and the best person available to carry out the procedure. She either needed the surgery or didn’t.

Agree

As others have said, we would never allow someone to say they wouldn't be treated by any other demographic and a hospital can only work with staff they have.

It might be uncomfortable but it is also life saving

volver Mon 31-Oct-22 18:32:26

I notice that all on this thread who think the patient was unreasonable, do acknowledge that a transwoman nurse is a male nurse.

I have acknowledged no such thing. You are making 2 + 2 = 5.

Lathyrus Mon 31-Oct-22 18:33:04

It doesn’t seem to be about her procedure or after care.

From what I can read she requested an all female team which was agreed.

Then whilst she was having a pre-op procedure the trans person, who was not involved in the op or the care in any way came into her room and “made eye contact” then left.

She says she felt that person was targeting her in some way. Certainly they had no reason to go into her room at that point.

The whole thing needs investigation by (if it’s possible) a disinterested person.

None of this sounds right. But nobody undergoing a procedure should feel intimidated by medical staff.

HousePlantQueen Mon 31-Oct-22 18:33:34

It is stated that the patient was upset because a trans nurse "entered the room' .....how did she know? Not wishing to offended but nursing uniforms are unisex.

VioletSky Mon 31-Oct-22 18:39:09

I sometimes open a space looking for someone, make eye contact with faces that might be the person or realise they are busy and then leave again

It's a biiiiig stretch

Has it been confirmed this was indeed the trans nurse in question? Or did she make an assumption that someone masculine appearing was trans?

Because if she looked at someone she thought was "presenting as female" and decided she had features that were too masculine in some way o they must be trans then that's gender stereotyping and has roots in sexism

FarNorth Mon 31-Oct-22 18:39:49

So that's a mystery HousePlantQueen.
How could she possibly know?

Sparklefizz Mon 31-Oct-22 18:40:37

Sparklefizz , why do you assume I haven't been attacked?

Because you seem to have no empathy. If you have been attacked in the past, then you have all my sympathy and apologies.

Glorianny Mon 31-Oct-22 18:42:39

I can't remember making eye contact with anyone during any medical procedure. I usually shut them tight and pretend nothing is happening!

FarNorth Mon 31-Oct-22 18:45:22

Glorianny you'll see from the twitter thread, that the all-female surgical team previously arranged were to carry out the operation today.
There was no difficulty with that.

Lathyrus Mon 31-Oct-22 18:46:50

VioletSky

I sometimes open a space looking for someone, make eye contact with faces that might be the person or realise they are busy and then leave again

It's a biiiiig stretch

Has it been confirmed this was indeed the trans nurse in question? Or did she make an assumption that someone masculine appearing was trans?

Because if she looked at someone she thought was "presenting as female" and decided she had features that were too masculine in some way o they must be trans then that's gender stereotyping and has roots in sexism

Well that’s why it needs investigation.

A valid reason for entering the room. That’s fine.

No valid reason for entering the room. That needs exploring.

VioletSky Mon 31-Oct-22 18:48:14

Glorianny

I can't remember making eye contact with anyone during any medical procedure. I usually shut them tight and pretend nothing is happening!

No just don't do it

Doesn't matter who they are, if they are also able to make eye contact with your cervix it's not a good time

Also never say you like cold hands down there when someone apologises for having them

Cos I did and I was mid birth and couldn't run away from that embarrassing blurt out

Fleurpepper Mon 31-Oct-22 18:48:17

FarNorth

fleurpepper racism is not a protected belief in the UK, belief in the reality of biological sex is a protected belief.

If a white person, in apartheid S Africa, had been attacked by a black woman and if statistics showed that black women were a significant risk to white people, perhaps that white person would be reasonable, rather than prejudiced, in your scenario .

Those things did not apply to black women, and do apply to men in general.

It would have been prejudiced, because the perception and statistics would have been supported by the regime.

I have only just now read the Tweets she wrote- and it is clear she is on the rampage, and wants to make a lot of noise to support her prejudice.

'' notice that all on this thread who think the patient was unreasonable, do acknowledge that a transwoman nurse is a male nurse.'' - no I do not accept that at all. I have 3 good friends who are transgender. One of the you would never ever never know- lovely voice and all proportions very female. She works in care, and no-one has ever objected.

The other two are wonderful people, and had the change later in life and yes, I knew immediately. They are wonderful, kind, caring- neither of them nurses though. They would be horrified to be considered a danger for women. Part of their desire to re-assign is because they are gentle, kind, caring.

If you are in a building on fire, would you ask if the fire person on the ladder is female or male, or indeed trans, before they carry you off to safety?