EHRC sues the NHS

[Lysistrataknowsherstuff]

Round my way, the CCG doesn't provide fertility treatment for anyone, it doesn't discriminate. Does anyone else find this ridiculous and set to reduce funding for people who really need it, such as those trying to avoid their children having inherited genetic conditions? As far as I'm aware, it's that kind of thing that NHS England funds.

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/sep/22/nhs-taken-to-court-over-fertility-services-for-transgender-patients?CMP=ShareiOSAppp_Other

CCG decisions mean that there are parts of the NHS that will not fund more than one hearing aid even in you're deaf in both (one is enough to be functional, apparently). Similarly, you might have cataracts or similar in both eyes but you'll only have surgery to restore the sight in one - because that's what you need for function.

I'll be interested to see how this turns out...

If the NHS is forced to offer fertility treatment to people having trans surgery, then I can see that the end result may well be that fertility treatment isn't offered to anyone at all. If the costs are prohibitive then it just won't be something that's available.

Has the EHRC ever sued anyone for the rights of any other groups? Is that how it works?

What sort of examples are there?

EHRC was grumbling that it might consider taking action about disabled people effectively interned in care homes courtesy of funding caps - but I don't recall anything being done as yet.

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/disabled-people-interned-care-homes-nhs-cost-cutting-a8019906.html

This is bonkers. When they decide to transition they know it will end their fertility. Have the kids first.

Perhaps the NHS’ response will be to stop funding treatment which voluntarily renders physically healthy individuals sterile?

And to back up an earlier poster, my region only funds catarract surgery in the first eye. Once you can see out of one eye, your sight is deemed restored. Never mind that driving safely without depth perception is that much harder. 🙄

There's a central fund for complex conditions that NHS England administers, which is what EHRC is saying transgender should fall into. But how can it fall into the same category as two people who want to have a baby without Tay-Sachs or another awful genetic disorder? The number of teenage girls declaring themselves trans nowadays would leave the fund unable to meet demand and they'd cancel treatment for everyone - I think fertility treatment for cancer patients currently comes out of the central fund as well, rather than the CCGs.

The article casually mentions that they might choose to use surrogates. Like there are queues of women available to do this.

It should be on the paperwork that they are risking their fertility by going through treatment and if it is no longer classed as a medical condition it won't be treatable anyway