Inspired by our Welsh FOI-requesting sister, I have started submitting my own, focusing on guidance on trans issues in the NHS:
www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/guidance_on_supporting_trans_peo
As it turns out, the guidance and the agenda of the meeting at which it was presented are publicly available here:
bnssgccg-media.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/attachments/govbody_5Nov19_item6.4.pdf
Now that I have read the guidance, the second FOI question (has this guidance been formally adopted?) is even more important. If the local NHS CCG (Clinical Commissioning Group) adopts this guidance it will have a negative effect on women, children and young people.
If you're in Bristol, North Somerset or South Gloucestershire please have a look and if you agree, ask them not to adopt it:
[email protected]
From the meeting agenda:
Risk and Assurance:
No specific risk implications
How does this impact on Equality & diversity:
The toolkit has been produced in partnership with a range of
equalities groups and professionals, and aims to reduce inequalities
and challenge the discrimination trans people face.
No mention of women and our needs here or anywhere in the guidance itself. Any disagreement with eg a male on a female ward is framed purely and only as 'transphobia' with no consideration of the needs of female patients or any trauma following male violence they may have:
'Forcing a trans person to use a single-sex ward that does not conform to their gender identity is likely to have a catastrophic effect on their emotional wellbeing. The needs of the patient need to be given priority.'
'Providing education to other service users in a ward to prevent ignorant or transphobic comments is, if succesful, a better solution than having to protect or isolate the trans service user'.
There are many quotes from (of course) Stonewall, and also from the 2016 Parliamentary Inquiry - without any acknowledgement of the way the ground has shifted since then, or of the much more recent PI into the enforcement of EA2010.
It suggests ways to collect data on people's gender identities but does not suggest recording people's sex.
It recommends Mermaids.
There's more but it's been a long day - will post more when I have a chance but please read this and if you're in the area, write to the CCG to explain the problems. Hoping the legal, medical and scientific minds of MN will look at this...