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NHS U turn on trans terminology

(404 Posts)
Doodledog Sat 27-Apr-24 22:13:55

From The Telegraph:

The health service is to limit trans ideology with new constitution
Camilla Turner
The NHS is to crack down on transgender ideology in hospitals, with terms like “chestfeeding” set to be banned.

Victoria Atkins, the Health Secretary, will this week announce a series of changes to the NHS constitution which sets out patients’ rights.

Referring to “people who have ovaries” rather than “women” will also be prohibited under plans to ensure hospitals use clear language based on biological sex.

The new constitution will ban transgender women from being treated on single-sex female hospital wards to ensure women and girls receive “privacy and protection” in hospitals.

Patients will also be given the right to request that intimate care is carried out by someone of the same biological sex.

It follows concerns from patients about biological men being allowed in women’s hospital wards. NHS guidance has previously stated that trans patients could be placed in single-sex wards on the basis of the gender with which they identified.

Kemi Badenoch, the women and equalities minister, has backed calls for a public inquiry into the “pervasive influence” of transgender ideology in the NHS.

The new NHS constitution will emphasise the importance of using “sex-specific” language in the health service after references to women were expunged from advice on the menopause and diseases such as cervical and ovarian cancer.

Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Victoria Atkins
The proposed changes to be announced by Ms Atkins will be subject to an eight-week consultation.
A Government source said: “The Government has been clear that biological sex matters, and women and girls are entitled to receive the protection and privacy they need in all healthcare settings.

“Our proposed updates to the NHS constitution will give patients the right to request same-sex intimate care and accommodation to protect their safety, privacy and dignity.”

The document sets out the rights of patients and medical staff. All NHS bodies, as well private and third-sector providers which supply NHS services, are required by law to take it into account when making decisions. The changes proposed this week will be subject to an eight-week consultation.

The updated constitution will state that placing transgender patients in single-room accommodation does not contravene equality laws as long as it is for an appropriate reason, such as respecting a patient’s wish to be in a single-sex ward.

Maya Forstater, chief executive of the campaign group Sex Matters, said the changes represent a “major step” towards reversing NHS England’s “capitulation to the demands of gender extremists, which has damaged policies and practices, created widespread confusion and harmed patient care”.

She added: “These much-needed changes to the NHS constitution will help secure essential sex-based rights in healthcare across England.

“Clear language, single-sex wards and access to intimate care provided by a health professional of the same sex are crucial to the wellbeing and safety of female patients. They should never have been compromised.”

Finally - some common sense.

Doodledog Sun 28-Apr-24 14:57:22

Mixed wards are not the issue, any more than male doctors. The issue (or this part of it) is informed consent - knowing who is in the bed next to you, and who is doing intimate care. We have a right to that, which has been eroded, but luckily (or more accurately because of pressure from biological realists and the sacrifices of brave people who have given such a lot) it is coming back.

The erasure of women in the language is important too. Words are vital to how we understand the world, and if women are reduced to body parts or biological functions our identity will be seen in those terms too. As Parsley says, what is the status of a ‘person with ovaries’ if she doesn’t have ovaries? What is a woman if a man can be one?

Urmstongran Sun 28-Apr-24 14:49:29

Sago

Now we need to get rid of Stonewall.

This. 👏

Mollygo Sun 28-Apr-24 14:01:57

Good news Doodledog. Thanks for the detailed post.
Single sex wards -a good idea, especially if it means no more transwomen, blatantly displaying their wares on female mental health wards where some patients were there because of trauma caused by men, and the staff were too afraid to do anything.
eazybee I’m glad your experience was different, but the opportunity for it not to be so, should be removed.

eazybee Sun 28-Apr-24 13:51:25

I was in a mixed ward in 2005 and extremely grateful to be there. The men were not the slightest bit intrusive and our dignity, and theirs, was preserved at all times. The staff constantly rearranged the beds to group the sexes together, apart from new arrivals who were kept close to the nursing station for observation.

Katie59 Sun 28-Apr-24 13:28:58

Common sense at last, it is also taking place in women’s sport as well banning men who transitioned after pubert.

Smileless2012 Sun 28-Apr-24 12:56:27

Well it's great news and about time too.

sodapop Sun 28-Apr-24 12:38:31

Absolutely agree tickingbird at last common sense is starting to prevail.

tickingbird Sun 28-Apr-24 11:03:34

It just illustrates the cowardice displayed by ALL the organizations and political figures in the face of bullying activists.

We should be applauding and handing out gongs to the likes of Graham Lineham (who has lost everything because of his stance on this), JK Rowling, Sharon Davis. All showed tremendous courage in standing up to this madness and at great personal cost.

Witzend Sun 28-Apr-24 10:16:36

Sarnia

About time some common sense prevailed and while they are at it perhaps they will stop advertising for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Managers at £80k a year while junior doctors, nurses and midwives earn a pittance in comparison.

This, in spades!

Parsley3 Sun 28-Apr-24 09:55:18

Indeed. My ovaries have been removed so what am I to be called?

AGAA4 Sun 28-Apr-24 09:50:10

So glad this is happening at last. An end to the 'people with ovaries' nonsense.

Sago Sun 28-Apr-24 09:32:23

Now we need to get rid of Stonewall.

Oreo Sun 28-Apr-24 08:58:57

Good news at last Doodledog so thanks for that.Am hoping that the Labour Party won’t reverse all that after the next election as I’ve been disappointed with Keir Starmer on this subject.

JudithPaterson Sun 28-Apr-24 01:56:52

In September 2022 I was admitted to Ninewells Hospital into Acute Admissions.

Never have I felt so disgusted, at risk and distressed at the behaviour from 2 old men in beds opposite. Both were staring at me, one was yelling his head off and then decided to masturbate under the covers while yelling and staring straight at me.

I was extremely unwell with sepsis, there was another man yelling at the other end of the ward, and I could have been in there all night in pyjamas in bed with that going on. Fortunately I was moved so it’s not just women only wards this needs to be applied to.

Another ward I was moves to had open bays, so the men would saunter by staring at the women in my bay and also using the female toilet if not noticed. Apart from the hellish treatment I had to go through, I had nightmares on my return home. When will they get it? Mixed wards need to be banned, no question.

Rosie51 Sun 28-Apr-24 00:30:28

Thanks Chestnut. I was too lazy to find the actual quote. I've been very disappointed with HIGNFY and Private Eye magazine that they've been so reticent to join the debate. Maybe the tide is turning.....

Chestnut Sun 28-Apr-24 00:13:19

Rosie51

As Alexander Armstrong said on HIGNFY "as we've cured cancer"............

I saw that and it was a classic moment! Of course it's the way it was said which really drives the message home.

Alexander Armstrong actually said 'They made a banner declaring that the hospital welcomes 21 different genders and sexualities. Each of these has its own flag (pause) and why not? Now cancer's been cured and everything.'

maddyone Sat 27-Apr-24 23:41:10

Thank goodness for sense at last. I find the terms such as chest feeders, people with ovaries etc highly offensive.

I’ve no idea what all those flags mean or represent. I only know two of them. What a terrible waste of money when everyone is crying out for more money for the actual treatment of actual patients.

Rosie51 Sat 27-Apr-24 23:10:01

As Alexander Armstrong said on HIGNFY "as we've cured cancer"............

Rosie51 Sat 27-Apr-24 23:08:08

petra

Is The Royal Stoke hospital going to remove this.

Probably not petra. As a heterosexual woman I can't see my flag displayed (do heterosexual women even have a flag?) so am I unwelcome and unsafe?

Rosie51 Sat 27-Apr-24 23:05:43

Looks like the grown ups have entered the room. About time! As Callistemon says it's fine to be treated by a man as long as it's informed consent. As for all the "chestfeeding" and similar, the default should be breast feeding and if any individual is uncomfortable with that they can request that the term 'chestfeeding' is used when conversing with them. Given that breastfeeders will vastly outnumber the minuscule numbers who wish to be referred to as chestfeeders this is just common sense, along with the 'cervix havers', 'vulva owners' et al.

petra Sat 27-Apr-24 23:04:08

Is The Royal Stoke hospital going to remove this.

petra Sat 27-Apr-24 22:58:58

Not before time 😡 but I’m always suspicious about policies that the hoi polloi have been banging on about suddenly become important when there’s an election brewing 🤔
Maybe someone has whispered in Rishis ear that the peasants are revolting 😂

Sarnia Sat 27-Apr-24 22:32:26

About time some common sense prevailed and while they are at it perhaps they will stop advertising for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Managers at £80k a year while junior doctors, nurses and midwives earn a pittance in comparison.

Callistemon21 Sat 27-Apr-24 22:31:58

It's a start.

Now schools, please.

I don't mind being treated by a man as long as I know he is a man. Having been on a mixed ward, I am in favour of single sex wards please, with no compromises.

Grannybags Sat 27-Apr-24 22:20:56

Good news