NHS nurse on my facebook just changed her profile picture to this

The policy states where an individual who can be identified as a person and working for the NHS should not publicly bring the profession into disrepute. Is that what I have done? Absolutely not.

So NOONE has actually bothered to google the words

"NHS SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY" then?

Top hit:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/social-media-and-attributed-digital-content-policy/
This is dated as being last updated 2018.
I think this is the current one as its linked from this main page:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/contact-us/pub-scheme/pol-proc/

This links to a document:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/social-media-policy.pdf
Document from 2013 last updated 2017.

Amongst the points it lists are the following:

• Don’t use social media in any way to attack or abuse colleagues;
• Respect your audience. Don't use personal insults, obscenities, or engage in any conduct that would not be acceptable in the workplace. You should also show proper consideration for others' privacy and for topics that may be considered objectionable or inflammatory, such as politics and religion;
• Be aware of your association with NHS England when using online social networks. If you identify yourself, or are identifiable, as an employee of the organisation, ensure your profile and related content is consistent with how you wish to present yourself to colleagues and stakeholders. Be aware that you may be identified as an employee by any public use of your NHSmail email address;
• Don't pick fights, be the first to correct your own mistakes, and don't change previous posts without indicating that you have done so;
• Don’t use social media to ‘”whistleblow” without already having raised concerns through the proper channels. All staff should be aware that the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 gives legal protection to employees who wish to whistleblow any concerns

Its in clear breach of social media policy.

There is one. It does exist. And it covers the whole NHS in England. Contrary to what numerous posters on this thread have said.

I'm fairly sure I do understand what you are saying and I agree with you that it is important for us to be able to distinguish between sex and gender and between facts and opinions and also that whistleblowers should be protected.

I just don't agree with you that this woman has crossed any sort of a line by stating that she would rather share with a hospital ward with a TP than a Tory.

I think that people must be allowed to state both facts and opinions when debating political ideas.

Opinions are not facts. Facts are not opinions.

It's not just facts that women are being penalised for though is it?

Arguing that TW shouldn't be able to use women's toilets or changing rooms or arguing that pronouns should be sex based rather than GI based are all opinions. Women (and some men) are being seriously penalised for stating these opinions online.

As far as I am concerned this is wrong and I just don't believe the solution to is for us to adopt those same tactics which are being used to beat women into submission.

To say that biological sex is binary and immutable?

Yeah, this.

I disagree with the idiot nurse. I actually don't think she should post this sort of stuff. But that is a million miles away from believing she should be reported to her employer for doing so. Anyone who thinks we should start using TRA tactics is not my ally, no matter how GC you are.

Please link to the NHS social media policy.

There isn't one.

Individual providers each have their own. Very unlikely that the nurse's post breaches hers, but we could not know for sure without knowing where she works.

You can all please yourselves but I didn't get into this battle because I believed people should be disciplined for saying stupid things on social media.

You have missed the point.

At the heart of this is the growing problem that people can't differentiate between a fact and an opinion.

Even if you believe in transgenderism, sex is still essential to healthcare. It's not an opinion. It's a reality.

People stating this on social media are being hauled over disciplinaries for this.

That deeply problematic. They NEED to be able to say this to protect patients in various ways - that's true of all patients including trans patients.

It is in essence a crucial part of safeguarding and whistleblowing - the ability to speak the truth without fear. And yes stating that men can't be women and saying they can is causing harm IS whistleblowing.

The post in the OP is a political opinion which the nurse is entitled to. But even as she has that sex continues to exist and be a reality. And that can't be ignored to protect the feelings of some because that risks the physical safety of others.

The idea of single sex wards actually being single sex isnt harmful if you are trans. It just put you in a more appropriate space. It is neutral in terms of its effect. It's just being framed as negative which in itself is CREATING a problem that isn't there. It's indulging the idea that validation is essential and must be done at all times and if it's not then somehow it's abuse. There are times when it is APPROPRIATE to say someone is trans and not the opposite sex.

Opinions are not facts. Facts are not opinions.

But we live in a world where social media is blurring this boundary and newspapers have so many columnists mascarading as journalists rather than just political windbags. And people can't tell the difference anymore.

And IT MATTERS.

I don't believe that stating a man can't become a woman, isn't the same though!

No I don't believe they are the same either. But how do you propose we maintain our freedom to state facts and political opinions if our opponents aren't also afforded that freedom?

@Mamma2017
"
The issue here is nothing to do with her political views-of course she is entitled to disagree with Tory policy. Like someone said a lot of NHS workers as people feel the same. The difference is her comment around giving care on her ward. You just cannot as a nurse state publicly that you’d rather treat one patient over another because of their political beliefs. Well clearly you can do that but not without breaching policy and standards of your profession and service provider and bringing the NHS & Royal College of Nursing into disrepute."
*
She hasn't said she would rather treat a trans person, she said she'd rather share a ward with one.* It's a really important distinction. Nothing in her post is breeching professional standards. And I'm as GC as they come.

See my above post.

The comparison is false equivalence.

I'd go as far as saying there is a whiff of whistleblowers being hung out to dry too.

So do you not support the likes of Amy Hamm and Rachel Mead either?

I don't believe that stating a man can't become a woman, isn't the same though!

Why?

Because ultimately in order to be professional you have to treat a male patient as if they are male and a female patient as female. You need to understand they may be on medication or have had surgery because of their trans status. Because if you don't, you are unprofessional and risking their actual health!!!

Stating 'I think transwomen are below contempt' in any sende would be unacceptable though. But that's fundamentally different.

And the post in the OP falls into this latter camp as a direct attack on a group.

Beyond that, arguably being on a single sex ward, could put them at risk because if they do 'pass' visually you get the risk of HCP not checking notes properly and treating them as the wrong sex.

In a private room, it does make it clearer that their is a need for caution about their sex and even pronouns. Which is actually better and gives more protections for this person whilst protecting their dignity too.

It's so much more appropriate for all concerned.

And it's nuts that staff are being disciplined for observing reality whereas those who state a belief which attacks non believers for their beliefs is able to stand and
a) isn't challenged
b) even in a sensible debate there is this notion that stating a man can't become a woman in the context of a medical setting is the same as a full on ad hominem attack on a group identity based on political beliefs.

One is stating the actual truth and highlighting actual practical issues
The other is just a political prejudice.

And the wrong one is being attacked as being unacceptable.

No, she needed to not post it at all.

Because if I saw that and then I ended up in hospital when she was on her shift, I'd be wondering whether she would treat all patients equally, or whether she would give preferential treatment to the people she considered more worthy.

And I'd be wondering whether it was just her or whether all the nurses thought these things.

It is not a balanced statement though: single sex spaces are there for safety, privacy and dignity. Mixed sex spaces hugely undermine safeguarding. As well as being provided for by law. Plus clinical safety.

Party political nonsense bores me, and a lot of the sentiment seems to come from a time of when these people weren't even born.

But what needs to be realised is that the trans legislation being proposed by the Tory government is in response to the opinion of the majority of the country.

Trans activism seems to prosper in echo chambers and segregation. As soon as someone steps out of line they are excommunicated. Many activists were very happy with the Tories when they were going with the trans lobbyists wishes.

I wonder if the nurse will post similar about Labour, once Labour realise that trans policies are vote losers?

She is displaying deliberate prejudice and is being hostile to a particular group.

Now I don't necessarily disagree that there is a problem with Tory policy, but to say something like this is unprofessional because it's an attack on people not policy. That's problematic.

That means it opens the question up about whether she would give the highest standard of care to someone she knew to be a Tory or she even suspected of voting Tory.

This is trying to intimidate and silence people with different views however you cut it. And it raises questions about her professionalism if she is saying things like that.

Women who want single sex wards, want protection and understanding of their rights and dignity. That doesn't mean they want trans people to have substandard care or treatment. It just means they recognise that it's producing a conflict of interest and problems which need to be resolved in a professional manner.

This is a facet I've found interesting to observe - the pre-judging of women and the assumption that they 'hate' before they've even said a word to clarify how and why they think there is an issue or problem. Pre-judging is prejudice.

There's a lot of trans activists who are exceptionally prejudiced. But they don't think they can be because they are left wing and 'left wing people don't discriminate' (newsflash: they do).

The nurse just needed to clarify the image with a brief line like "this is from my viewpoint when a patient, obvs!"

You just cannot as a nurse state publicly that you’d rather treat one patient over another because of their political beliefs.

That's not what she said though is it.

I suppose you might argue that this nurse might not act professionally towards those patients who she found out were Conservative. But these same arguments are being used to sanction GC healthcare workers.

There is the case of Rachel Mead (Social Worker) who has been severely sanctioned for stating political on SM.

Amy Hamm (Nurse) in Canada also currently finds herself in this situation.

I imagine that most of us on here wholeheartedly support these women.

You might want to refer to them yourself, given some of your delightful posts.

Don’t post if you know fuck all about what you are spouting from your mouth

Don’t be a dick. It’s you not comprehending here. You are clearly not a professional person and if you are supposed to be you shouldn’t!

Yes that's what I mean. I think it should acceptable for either of those statements to be made by a healthcare professional on social media without their regulator or employer taking the slightest notice. It's clearly making a political point. It's not personal or bullying.

Oh and the policy does extend to outside of work as long as she is speaking publicly from a nursing perspective -like she was.

The issue here is nothing to do with her political views-of course she is entitled to disagree with Tory policy. Like someone said a lot of NHS workers as people feel the same. The difference is her comment around giving care on her ward. You just cannot as a nurse state publicly that you’d rather treat one patient over another because of their political beliefs. Well clearly you can do that but not without breaching policy and standards of your profession and service provider and bringing the NHS & Royal College of Nursing into disrepute.

No. She has made a statement as a nurse, from a nurse’s viewpoint. So it is a professional issue 🤦🏼‍♀️