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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Support for psychiatrist raising sex and gender concerns on mental health wards

13 replies

Stopitalready · 23/09/2026 15:39

I have been away from MN for a fair while (life!) but have been following and peaked by this forum some time ago!

I've just spotted this article from yesterday and wondered if this case is being followed supported on here?

www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cqzjzwr1mm27o

Having had a female relative victim of sexual abuse need to be admitted to various wards under various sections throughout her life, this has been an area that's caused me a lot of concern around this topic. I think the psychiatrist here is really brave in speaking up...I hope there is a lot of support for them out there.

From the article it looks like they want to remain anonymous, which is understandable, but I'd like to thank them or anyone else that does speak up around these issues in mental health wards. The women using them are so very unwell and unlikely to be unable to speak up for themselves, with any effectiveness 😓

OP posts:
Stopitalready · 23/09/2026 15:42

From the article...

A row has erupted over NHS policies which allow transgender women onto women-only wards.

A consultant psychiatrist at Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust (GMMH) claims a patient, who identified as a trans woman, exposed themselves to female patients during their stay.

Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust (GMMH) said it had investigated the allegations and had no record of this ever happening.

The case highlights the fact that the NHS still has no national policy reflecting legal changes which say single-sex services must reflect biological sex.

Earlier this month, The Times reported that the psychiatrist, who has not been named, had filed a tribunal claim with the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas) in August, external.

She said she had raised repeated concerns with GMMH over its trans inclusion policies, which are likely to be in breach of a Supreme Court ruling given 17 months ago.

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PurpleLovecats · 23/09/2026 15:51

I’ve been sectioned multiple times and have been on wards with trans women. Honestly, they were the least of my worries. I was far more wary of the violent and aggressive patients.

CassOle · 23/09/2026 15:56

No biological male should be placed on a female ward. It is an obvious safeguarding issue.

HoppityBun · 23/09/2026 15:57

PurpleLovecats · 23/09/2026 15:51

I’ve been sectioned multiple times and have been on wards with trans women. Honestly, they were the least of my worries. I was far more wary of the violent and aggressive patients.

Edited

She said she was told that the patient exposed themselves to others on the ward. Three female patients, she said, had complained about what had happened.

That wouldn’t have bothered you? Or do you doubt that it happened?

PrizedPickledPopcorn · 23/09/2026 16:00

There’s no particular reason to assume that transwomen won’t be among the violent and aggressive patients.
The issue is that it’s safer to segregate by sex. It reduces the odds of issues. A transman placed on a male ward was raped twice within minutes, if I remember correctly.

NormalityIsOverrated · 23/09/2026 16:01

From the same piece an all too predictable explanation as to why the bloody useless NHS simply will not comply - it's all just too difficult so it doesn't get done.

Dr Michael Foran, an associate professor of law at the University of Oxford and an expert in equality law, said the NHS was struggling to implement the law because of long established practices.
"The NHS has very well-established policies for consulting stakeholder groups in a way that is maximally inclusive," he said
"You can see the NHS is approaching this in the same way that it would approach any new policy. You consult with your stakeholder groups, you get legal advice, you think about how you might best engage this new change."
"But the central problem the NHS is facing is that complying with the law is not a new policy to consult on," he said.
"You don't have a choice as to whether or not you comply with the law."

Wishesandhorses · 23/09/2026 16:01

no record of this ever happening

a) Records are gerrymandered, we know this, the 'no woman was raped on this ward because there is no man on this ward and the.... oh shit you have cctv evidence' case for example.
b) Complaints are shall we say, strongly discouraged.
c) 'Karen' White anyone? Multiply raped a woman on a locked mental health NHS ward all night, leaving her severely injured, currently in prison for it? (And other assaults, carried out while identifying into a women's space).

This is inexcuseable, and it is against the law. Said law being required to prevent lunatic misogynists being able to use, oppress and harm women in their concern to benefit men.

Waitingfordoggo · 23/09/2026 16:02

@PurpleLovecats , I’m sorry for the difficulties you’ve been through.

Are you suggesting that because you didn’t mind sharing a ward with trans identifying men, that all the other patients also should not mind, and that an NHS worker should not raise their concerns?

Theeyeballsinthesky · 23/09/2026 16:06

PurpleLovecats · 23/09/2026 15:51

I’ve been sectioned multiple times and have been on wards with trans women. Honestly, they were the least of my worries. I was far more wary of the violent and aggressive patients.

Edited

For the eleventybillonth time we don't make laws based on whether some individuals arent worried. Men as a sex class pose a risk to women as a sex class therefore in the interests of safety at certain times we have single sex spaces

I've no doubt the poor young TM attacked on a male ward told them they didn't mind being with the men when they asked her where she wanted to go https://www.pressreader.com/uk/daily-express/20260528/281852945229571

sometimes bodies like the NHS need to safeguard ppl from themselves

Stopitalready · 23/09/2026 23:09

PurpleLovecats · 23/09/2026 15:51

I’ve been sectioned multiple times and have been on wards with trans women. Honestly, they were the least of my worries. I was far more wary of the violent and aggressive patients.

Edited

@PurpleLovecats I do hear what you're saying about violent and aggressive patients being a real concern. I'm glad you found the transwoman on your ward to not be a risk in your own experience. However I do know women who would find the very presence of a male body in an area where they are vulnerable to be quite terrifying and triggering.

Clearly not all transwomen are violent, aggressive or sexual predators, but sadly they are human like everyone else and therefore there is possibility that a violent, aggressive and predatory transwomen could be placed on such a ward with highly vulnerable women. That's what makes me very uncomfortable indeed.

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SnowZebra · 24/09/2026 04:45

Trust failings that lead to safeguarding failures around never recorded properly.

There's a push to get rid of mixed wards for a reason, and mental health units are known to be staffed well below safe levels at the best of times.

I was in a ward with men and if was scary as hell, I was in after a horrific sexual assault due to dissociation that had left me basically catatonic and functioning like a zombie. I'm very grateful that a female nurse realised the risk and spent each and every one of her night shifts on our corridor but it really shouldn't have been like this.

I was eventually allowed home when they realised having this scenario was not helpful, then I ended up with four hourly visits which was another drain on staffing that could have just been avoided if there was in hospital single sex provision.

Stopitalready · 24/09/2026 23:52

I'm so sorry you went through that @SnowZebra that must have been awful Flowers

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AskingQuestionsAllTheTime · 25/09/2026 21:08

NormalityIsOverrated · 23/09/2026 16:01

From the same piece an all too predictable explanation as to why the bloody useless NHS simply will not comply - it's all just too difficult so it doesn't get done.

Dr Michael Foran, an associate professor of law at the University of Oxford and an expert in equality law, said the NHS was struggling to implement the law because of long established practices.
"The NHS has very well-established policies for consulting stakeholder groups in a way that is maximally inclusive," he said
"You can see the NHS is approaching this in the same way that it would approach any new policy. You consult with your stakeholder groups, you get legal advice, you think about how you might best engage this new change."
"But the central problem the NHS is facing is that complying with the law is not a new policy to consult on," he said.
"You don't have a choice as to whether or not you comply with the law."

I remember when there were single SEX wards in all hospitals, before the unsuccessful experiment of mixed wards, which patients both male and female hated and found demeaning, and before the current dogs' dinner of allowing men into the women's wards but pretending that isn't happening and telling lies to back up the pretence.

Why is it so difficult for them to revert to the previous status quo?

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