Mick Hartley

Another preview from the Telegraph of Tory plans to be unveiled at their conference – Trans women to be banned from female hospital wards:

Trans women will be banned from female hospital wards under the Health Secretary’s plans to restore “common sense” to the NHS.

On Tuesday, Steve Barclay will announce proposals to push back against “wokery” in the health service that has led to women’s rights being increasingly sidelined.

The changes would give men and women the right to be cared for on wards only shared by people of their own biological sex, and to have intimate care provided by those of the same sex.

Mr Barclay said the plan would mean the return of “a common-sense approach to sex and equality”, ensuring that women’s dignity was protected and their voices heard.

The proposals follow concerns from patients and staff about biological men being allowed on to women’s hospital wards. In 2021, NHS guidance said trans patients could be placed on single-sex wards on the basis of the gender with which they identified.

Mr Barclay will also announce the return of “sex-specific” language to the NHS after references to women were expunged from advice on the menopause and diseases such as cervical and ovarian cancer.

On Monday, women’s campaign groups hailed the changes as “fantastic news” and a return to “reality-based thinking”.

Mr Barclay has become frustrated by “ideological dogma” in the health service, where terms such as “breastfeeding” have been replaced by “chestfeeding” and guidance refers to pregnant “people” rather than women.

All very welcome. Let's hope he follows through.