HEALTH Secretary Steve Barclay has ordered an investigation after public cash was used for a report telling doctors to treat patients as gender-neutral.
The “ABC of LGBT+ Inclusive Communication” document reportedly used a £165,000 government grant.
AlamyGovernment funds were assigned to advise GPs on how to speak to gender-neutral patients[/caption]
It was produced by university researchers and charities, with forewords written by militant campaign group Stonewall and NHS England’s advisor for LGBT health.
The guidance suggests doctors avoid calling patients “he”, “she”, “Mr” or “Mrs” until they know how they identify.
It said: “Using the gender neutral pronouns ‘they’ and ‘them’, and names when talking about patients or their significant others is an easy way to avoid initial assumptions.”
And it says medics should not assume the relationship between a patient and anyone they bring to an appointment.
A source close to Mr Barclay told the Daily Mail: “Taxpayers’ money needs to be invested in fixing the NHS so it can provide better care for patients, not squandered on woke pamphlets.”
A health source said the document is not NHS policy or guidance and was not officially sent out to staff.
Ministers have ordered the NHS not to stop using male and female genders because it risks confusing patients.