“Transwomen should be treated on female wards”

[Poppyred85]

So says Olivia Butterwoth, leader of Patient and Public Voice team at NHS England.
This is a screenshot from the GG Twitter feed linked to on another thread. I noticed the conversation while reading through it.
I don’t know how influential her role is but I find it worrying that the leader of a group representing patients thinks this. I’ve spent enough time working on NHS wards to know how important single sex wards are to women going through gynaecology procedures, miscarriages and early pregnancy complications.
I also know how vulnerable I felt when I was one of those patients and how much I appreciated that the other patients around me were women.
Once again this is about not just safety, but the privacy and dignity of women and our right to sometimes have spaces free from males or male bodies.

Fuck, no.

Tara Hewitt is giving a key note speech today at the The Adoption and Fostering Alliance (AFA) Scotland Health Group Conference :

"We are pleased to confirm that Tara Hewitt will be joining colleagues from Three Circles Fostering at this conference. They will be addressing issues of gender identity, about which many professionals feel ill-equipped when required to advise and support looked after young people and their carers.

Tara has provided input and support to staff from over 20 different NHS organisations covering Mental Health, CAMHs, Forensic Services, Acute Trusts and Clinical Commissioning Groups in relation to supporting trans service users and staff.

She has previously been invited as a guest lecturer on LGBT+ issues to social work students at Liverpool John Moore's University and Nursing Students at University of Salford.

Outside of her time spent as a Leadership & Inclusion consultant, Tara has worked for over 8 years as an Equality & Diversity Professional within the NHS. Tara specialises in bringing a creative edge to discussions around the complex topic of gender and health inequalities and helping professionals navigate solutions to challenges within an intersectional context, including young people in care."

Tara Hewitt & ThreeCircles created resources for children and young people in the care system & a toolkit for foster carers and social care professionals supporting them:
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3324578-Vunerabilities-of-Looked-After-Children-Social-Work-CP-restricted-by-affirmation-requirement-Trans-Youth-in-Care-Toolkit

Tara Hewitt has also been a key diversity adviser at Salford University recently

breastfeedingclownfish presumably an anti Semitic sick fuck. How charming.

R0wan

Thank you. That's chilling.

Groups like Stonewall, Mermaids, TELI and 'experts' like Tara got into all publuc service providers, Govt, NHS, schools before the public caught up.

I dread to think who they've influenced, the policies they've changed without wider society realising.
The damage they havw and are creating is just unfathomable.

I know you already know this, but I'm only a few months in to this batshit and am agog at how late I am arriving - let alone other 'average' people

Tara had no credible data in Tara's talk. Didn't anyone medical think to ask them?

Tara talks about being insulted when trans people have spent most of their lives 'transitioned' but how old was Tara when Tara transitioned if Tara has spent 10 years post surgery?
Tara can only have been a young person. What is Tara's background? Tara's qualifications and experience?

but how old was Tara when Tara transitioned if Tara has spent 10 years post surgery?
Tara can only have been a young person. What is Tara's background? Tara's qualifications and experience?

2016 Interview with Tara Hewitt: 'What it's like to be Transgender and Catholic
Tara Hewitt, NHS equality and diversity advisor, doesn't believe in abortion or IVF but says it doesn't affect her job'
(extract)
"Tara Hewitt, 30, who works in the Wirral as the boroughs’s equality and diversity advisor said she is pro-life but ‘doesn’t force those views on others.’

She said:“I don’t believe in terminating life... Life starts at conception and then if you terminate life after that then you’re ending a life.

“That’s my view, I can’t have children, I don’t judge people for making their decisions – I have friends who have had abortions.”

After transitioning at the University of Liverpool, at the age of 21, Tara struggled and attempted suicide before turning to the church." (cont)

"Tara, who lives in New Brighton, is also a pansexual, which means she is attracted to any gender.

But, although she supports gay marriage and same-sex adoption, she doesn’t believe in IVF.

“None of my views are based on sexual orientation I support love.

“Millions of people share my view but, because they aren’t trans, they aren’t targetted.

“It’s hard being right wing and trans, I get attacked from both sides.”

Tara was on the Conservative Party candidate list in the last election and came under fire when a Sun report ‘revealed’ her sexual fetishes.

Hewitt reportedly described herself as an “advocate of the BDSM (bondage, discipline and sadomasochism) community”, and into “swinging” and “pet play”, which is dressing up as an animal for sex.

She says the relationship between the individual and the church is private, so her understanding of her faith shouldn’t impact anybody else." (continues)

www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/what-its-like-transgender-catholic-10810323

Tara Hewitt is a co-founder of TELI with Jess Bradley and Michelle Hudson.
thread:
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3374926-What-influence-does-TELI-have-on-government-public-services-and-charities-policies-Co-founders-include-Jess-Bradley-Tara-Hewitt-and-Michelle-Hudson

I think stage 1 of TWAW is thinking that all TW are post-op transexuals, not yet realising that transitioning these days means simply declaring "I feel like a woman" three times in front of a mirror whilst wearing heels and too much lippy. And some of those doing this do it because they actually want to be a woman, and some do because they get off on it and they want to force women into joining them in this fetish. Now I wouldn't object too strongly to the former on a mixed ward but I would not want the latter anywhere near me at any point.

I’m a HCP in the NHS and I don’t know of a single person I work with who would think this is a good idea. I work in ED where it is obviously mixed sex and we have problems arise from this. We also have issues getting people out of our department and off to medical and surgical assessment wards etc. because we need to send them to appropriate place for their sex. The wait due to that is often much longer but we value those spaces being segregated.

On a personal note, which I have mentioned before under another user name. I was assaulted on a maternity ward where men where allowed to stay the night. I struggled immensely because of that and battled (I am high risk) to be allowed to have a home birth recently because I simply could not face giving birth in a hospital where I would be housed with men. I now have ongoing mental health issues as a direct result of what happened.

OVAgroundWOMBlingfree

Worth looking at your NHS Trust's policies:

-Diversity and Inclusion (based on Equality Act 2010 & should have sex and gender reassignment as 2 of the 9 protected characteristics. Not 'gender/gender identity')

-Same sex accomodation policy
(I think this is a performance indicator & breaches have to be recorded????)

-Transgender policy

Ova - I remember reading that comment you made about being assaulted. I'm really sorry to hear that happened to you.

OVAground
So sorry that happened to you

I haven't read the whole thread so apologies if this has been mentioned.
I HATED other men being there in the day on the maternity ward. I would never have said anything because those men (including my DH) were there to help their partners and start their new family and I didn't feel 'at risk'. But I still felt uneasy. Boobs out and leaking, recovering from a haemorrhage etc, etc. Sometimes women (and men) just want single sex spaces.
I also know about a local case whereby a woman took her then DP to court after he raped her days after giving birth at hospital.
This issue is not about trans people. It is about violent men. There are far too many threads on here that link to this to not take the risk of mixed sex wards seriously.
So I'm sorry, but if you have a penis, I don't want to sleep next to you on a ward. Thanks.

I hear that too. I watched the Tara Hewitt video a few months ago as someone posted it here. I remain quite horrified by it what I saw. They're not even trying to hide the take over of transgender status by cross dressing men, instead they're using their platform to brainwash women into thinking that doesn't matter in the name of equality.

Yes exactly.

I don't mean to derail, but with relevance to mixed psychiatric wards also, and thinking of Karen White, (formerly known as David Thompson and Stephen Wood, who committed rapes against (obviously vulnerable) women on mixed psychiatric wards.) I have just been pondering and remembered the letter by Professor Coid, emeritus professor of forensic psychology, Queen Mary University of London, in the Times recently where he was talking about "the entirely predictable consequences" of putting male sex offenders in women's prison's.

He said "this practice ignores the psychopathology of disturbed and sometimes dangerous individuals" and that "uncertain sexual identity is a key risk factor in a man with history of sexual assaults".

Hospitals ought to keep in mind that many males have committed sexual offences but not been caught or convicted yet. They don't just become a key risk when we put a name to the perpetrator and convict him.

OVA - I am sorry if my post causes offence. I was not referring to your story above and it is unrelated. If you would like me to take this down I will report it.

"Esp important on MH ward. My mate was a MH in patient support worker and she told me how disruptive men self-IDing as women were on ward. Most women victims of assault and it's very traumatic."

These women are being thrown under cc bus. Their needs are considered last, if at all. How has this happened?

Re Karen Wood's violent offending history against woemn and children:

(extract)
"Briscoe, who also knew Wood and had access to his record, said there was “no sign at all that he was trans”, describing him as a “very manipulative” person who would “develop relationships with vulnerable residents in the hostel and befriend them”. He repeatedly breached his probation conditions, she said, and was not recalled to prison after the rape.

Briscoe, now a senior therapist at a charity, said Wood had a history of seeking access to mixed and women’s institutions to find and abuse vulnerable people. As well as the bail hostel and the prison, she said, police told her Wood had gained admission to a mixed psychiatric ward, where he had repeatedly raped a young woman patient suffering from Asperger’s syndrome.

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/why-was-convicted-paedophile-allowed-to-move-to-a-female-jail-nmpbfm272

There is recognition of the importance of same sex wards but wouldn't Karen White, formerly known as David Thompson and Stephen Wood be placed on female ward?

For those advocating small steps to help Olivia BUtterworth along the right path, you may want to look at the rest of her Twitter feed.

Sorry. I didn’t meant to make it about me but I just wanted to show that men shouldn’t be in spaces with vulnerable women for any longer than they need to be (although totally understand the way women are abandoned without care and left to rely on parents).

Thank you for your kind words.

Jess Bradley (JB) is a non-binary transwoman and NUS Trans Officer. JB was one of the co-founders of TELI, and started the pressure group Action for Trans Health (ATH). ATH has some quite strange policies including the abolition of prisons... JB was listened to by the government. JB allegedly kept a blog wherein they documented taking their penis out in public spaces, allegedly including their desk at work. They are under investigation by the NUS.

THE BRITISH MEDICAL JOURNAL has apparently taken advice from Action for Trans Health:
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3331391-BMJ-Trans-health-needs-more-and-better-services

You can read more on the Jess Bradley thread:
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3325623-Jess-Bradley-a-government-advisor-on-womens-rights-suspended-by-NUS-over-indecent-blog-Part-iii

All information below direct reproductions of some posts relevant to the NHS by the indefatigable R0wantrees taken from the JB part 3 thread:

ATH was the first one to get any real traction (presumably thanks to the NUS connection)

I have been wondering about Jess Bradley's assertion of 'expert witness' status:

'Jess Bradley, Member, Executive Committee, Action for Trans Health'

witness comment:
"Jess Bradley: My name is Jess Bradley. I am a qualified health impact assessor and I am on the executive committee of an organisation called Action for Trans Health, which is the largest UK‑based democratic campaign for trans healthcare"

What might the qualification for 'health impact assessor' be?
(This is from September 2015)

Also what might have been the structure of ATH at this point- the claims made both for JB's position and the organisation seem rather grandiose?

data.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/committeeevidence.svc/evidencedocument/women-and-equalities-committee/transgender-equality/oral/21345.html

'NHS England and NHS Scotland Analysis of public consultation on
proposed service specifications for specialised Gender Identity Services for Adults'
(published earlier this year)

See Executive summary for weight given to input from both NUS and Action for Trans Health (both Jess Bradley?)
(extract)
"Current, former or prospective user of gender identity services:
There was significant similarity between the themes that were raised by respondents in this group and by organisations representing the interests of trans and non-binary people."

www.engage.england.nhs.uk/survey/gender-identity-services-for-adults/user_uploads/report-independent-analysis-consultation-responses-gender-identity-service-specifications.pdf

"See TELI Co-founder Tara Hewitt's report for UHSM which records data on 'gender' and 'trans' as 'protected characteristics':"

Gender and trans are NOT protected characteristics under the EA2010. Gender reassignment is. As is sex.

It seems inconceivable that Tara Hewitt was not aware of the 9 protected characteristics of the 2010 Equalities Act.

Tara Hewitt : Liverpool University Law 2005 – 2011
CV remote.com/tarahewitt

'UHSM employee recognised in national awards'
"Tara Hewitt, the new Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Lead at the University Hospital of South Manchester NHS Foundation Trust (UHSM), has been shortlisted for the National Excellence in Diversity Awards.

Out of thousands of nominees, Tara has been shortlisted in the Diversity Champion within the Public Sector Category for her work as a NHS Equality & Diversity Lead, Freelance Diversity Consultant working across NHS organisations in the UK.

Tara has been recognised for her role in organising the largest ever NHS-led Trans Equality Conferences in Stockport and Wigan, for conducting training sessions on Trans Equality for over 350 NHS employees across Greater Manchester and for her work tackling hate-related violence and aggression in the work place.

Tara joined UHSM in March as the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Lead – a new role within the hospital, working to support services to utilise inclusion and to improve overall quality of care and performance."
www.uhsm.nhs.uk/news/uhsm-employee-recognised-in-national-awards/

You may be interested to read the UHSM policy with regards single sex wards:

see:
4.1
5.4.3

www.uhsm.nhs.uk/content/uploads/2015/12/2.8.2-Privacy-and-Dignity-Policy-V3.pdf

UHSM
4.1 Same Sex Accommodation
For hospital accommodation to be deemed “same sex”, it must provide sleeping areas and
toilet and washing facilities that are for men and women only. This means patients could
be:-
 In a same sex ward, where the whole ward is either men or women only
 In a single room or
 In a mixed ward, where men and women are in separate bays or rooms
 Toilet and washing facilities are for either men or women
(DoH guidance- Eliminating Mixed Sex Accommodation, 2010)

4.2 Trans is an umbrella term used to define a range of different gender variant identities.
However in respect of this policy the term is used to describe any person who intends to or has permanently transitioned to a different gender from their birth gender.

5.4.3 Transsexual Patients
Trans patients enjoy legal protection against discrimination. In addition good practice requires clinical responses be patient-centred, respectful and flexible towards all transgender people who do not meet these criteria but who live continuously or temporarily in the gender role that is opposite to their natal sex. They must be accommodated according to their presentation - the way they dress and the name and pronouns that they
currently use (please refer to 4.2).
5.4.3 (i) Those who have undergone full-time transition should always be accommodated according to their gender presentation. Different genital or breast sex appearance is not a bar to this, since sufficient privacy can usually be ensured through the use of curtains or by accommodation in a single side room adjacent to a sex-appropriate ward. This approach may only be varied under special circumstances where, for instance, the treatment is sexspecific
and necessitates a Trans person being placed in an otherwise opposite sex ward.
Such departures should be proportionate to achieving a ‘legitimate aim’, for instance, a safe nursing environment. This may arise, for instance, when a Trans man is having a hysterectomy in a hospital, or hospital ward that is designated specifically for women, and
no side room is available. The situation should be discussed with the individual concerned and a joint decision made as to how to resolve it.
At all times this should be done according to the wishes of the patient, rather than the convenience of the staff.
5.4.3 (ii) In addition to these safeguards, where admission/triage staff are unsure of a person’s gender, they should, where possible, ask discreetly where the person would be most comfortably accommodated. They should then comply with the patient’s preference immediately, or as soon as practicable. If patients are transferred to a ward, this should also be in accordance with their continuous gender presentation (unless the patient requests
otherwise).

5.4.3.(vi) Gender variant children and young people should be accorded the same respect for their self-defined gender as are Trans adults, regardless of their genital sex. There is no segregation, as is often the case with children, there may be no requirement to treat a young gender variant person any differently from other children and young people. Where segregation is deemed necessary, then it should be in accordance with the dress, preferred name and/or stated gender identity of the child or young person. In some instances, parents or those with parental responsibility may have a view that is not consistent with the child’s view. If possible, the child’s preference should prevail even if the child is not Gillick
competent.

5.4.3.(vii) More in-depth discussion and greater sensitivity may need to be extended to adolescents whose secondary sex characteristics have developed and whose view of their gender identity may have consolidated in contradiction to their sex appearance. It should be borne in mind that they are extremely likely to continue to experience a gender identity that is inconsistent with their natal sex appearance, so their current gender identity should be fully supported in terms of their accommodation and use of toilet and bathing facilities. It should also be noted that, although rare, children may have conditions where genital appearance is not clearly male or female and therefore personal privacy may be a priority

NB this is from UHSM website V 3 November 2014, states Next review date March 2018 so may be modified.

Jess Bradley/Action for Trans Health has been at the heart of the Trans Rights activism and lobbying groups. Jess Bradley seems to have a great deal of influence and power and this has been accorded to her by individuals and groups representing government and parliament, charities, statutory services and organisations including those concerned with safeguarding vulnerable adults & child protection and legislative policy and frameworks.

'NHS England and NHS Scotland Analysis of public consultation on
proposed service specifications for specialised Gender Identity Services for Adults' (published earlier this year)

Along with NUS, Action for Trans Health & GIRES, an organisation called UK Trans Info is referenced quite a lot.

On its website it says:
"UK Trans Info is a national charity focused on improving the lives of trans and non-binary people in the UK.

Our main aims are to:

Bring together resources from around the UK making them easily accessible to all through one website.
Endeavour to add new resources as they become available and to publicise them through social media.
Recognise and attempt to close gaps in the resources that are currently available.
Give trans and non-binary people in the UK a voice by campaigning for our rights.
Work with and educate individuals and organisations to ensure the needs of trans and non-binary people are taken into account.
Promote transparency, clarity and openness within public sector organisations.
Signpost those in need to the resources they require and in some cases contacting organisations or individuals on their behalf.
Promote action and awareness of relevant surveys, conventions, consultations and research projects.
Engage and collaborate with other trans and non-binary organisations to pool resources, strengthen our collective voice and reduce duplication of work."

Not sure if this is a charity or not, there is a FB group as well but not much info about its structure etc

tiac.lgbt/

Another relevant previous post from R0wantrees

There are a great number of key policies and legislation relating to trans health available from GenderGP (Dr Helen Webberley) website:

gendergp.co.uk/important-documents/

For those interested in exploring further the role that Jess Bradley and Action for Trans Health have played, this would be a useful source.

I wonder how Jess Bradley et al would feel if their mother or sister was assaulted on a ward by a TW. But of course that's a risk worth taking because there are laws to deal with it.

Jess is the one who likes wnaking their cock at bus stops right? Amongst other things.

I suspect their ideology and aims would outweigh any fears about female relatives + do you really think any female relatives would tell Jess they'd just get accused of transphobia, over-reacting, maybe they were imagining it, etc etc and a lecture on how poeple commit crimes, sex is an illusion and so on and so forth.

FFS 4 women in prison got assaulted by a rapist of the penis variety (there's no other sort in teh UK) and some pro trans poeple were saying well then violence in prison is an issue, transwomen are oppressed and are women so they should defintiely continue to put teh karen whites in with the women and just assess risk a bit better.

Overlooking the fact that dicky poeple commit 97% or whatever it is of sex crime, cross dressing as a paraphilia is common in sex offenders, men are generally bigger stronger louder and more aggressive than women, possibility of pregnancy and so on and so forth.

Wtf! Just watched the youtube video pombear

These are the people who are women? They don't even try to hide it. Sheila Jeffries is 100% correct on the AGP.

Surely that video needs to be highlighted?

.

Weren't Karen White's ( sexual assaults at New Hall prison) rapes plural committed against a woman patient in psychiatric hospital unit with him.??

Last time I was on a ward I was knickerless in a flappy open at the back gown for days after my operation, the staff kept insisting i left curtains open too .

NO GRC and serial rapist so am saying "him " law is on my side. Come at me :-)