What my NHS Trust have said about the Supreme Court verdict

[Opinionpolecat]

The NHS Trust I work at sent an e-mail to all staff yesterday talking about the Supreme Court ruling. They stated that the judges have said that “woman” in UK law is based on biological sex. They go on to say that they want to be clear the ruling does not change the fact that everyone is welcome in the Trust and that they are an inclusive organisation. They say everyone deserves respect and understanding including staff, patients and families. They understand that some staff members may feel they need support at this time and recommend the LGBT+ staff network where LGBT+ staff and allies can find support and advice.

It struck me that they think only LGBT+ plus staff and allies will need support and advice, and the reassurance that the trust is such an inclusive organisation. They say nothing about the fact their policies have discriminated against female staff and patients for many years. They don't even admit to it but say this wasn't their fault, it was due to NHS wide guidance and they offer no apology to female staff, patients and their allies about these years of discrimination. They say nothing about the fact that for many years some female staff and patients may not have felt welcome or included within the Trust. Have any other NHS staff had similar messages?

NOt read the full thread but I’m here with my 🍿 when the lawsuits from women start rolling in….

In my previous places of work, men were placed on single sex female psychiatric wards. Many of said women were pretty 'unfiltered' and when they queried it or complained, staff were expected to say they were women.
Imagine you feel like you've lost your mind and the staff who you are expected to trust are lying to you in that way!

I genuinely worry about the intellectual abilities and integrity of those at the top of the NHS.

That is beyond outrageous. Messing with the perceived reality of women with known mental health issues. What in the Butlerian flapdoodle?!?

Were these men or TIMs?

This is indeed absolutely horrifying. Any woman who has been affected should get advice surely, about legal action. Must have had an appalling impact on her mentalhealth.

It seems like it comes be a bumper area for no win no fee chancers if I'm honest.

Just takes one to have a hard look at this...

We actually still have had nothing more than a "waiting for something from NHS England" (think they're a bit busy guys) email

From what they have said, I think people like Robin White and Jolyon Maugham are looking for a claimant to take somebody to court so that they can take this all to the ECHR.

Whether or not they have a case, no employer will be desperate to participate in that fight.

Well now you come to mention it, the statistics show that 'transwomen' (male bodied people who are trans identified) in prison commit sex offences at a much higher rate than the general male prison population.

There are two explanations for these statistics: 1 - transwomen really are more likely to be predators than other men. 2 - allowing men to self ID into women's spaces creates a massive safeguarding hole the size of space into which male predatory chancers will eagerly jump. I don't much care which of these it is.

That safeguarding loophole has now been closed by the Supreme Court in law at least - protecting women and children.

Men can stay out of women's spaces, however they identify.

I've always thought that men who can't accept a hard 'no' raise red flags in any case and my goodness we've seen a lot of that recently.

What is truly disturbing about this is that, if we’re talking about prisoners and not necessarily even the number who are convicted but kept out of prison for

REASONS

then even the usual estimates may be wrong.

And yes to transgressing boundaries and ignoring a hard ‘no’ as danger signals.

TiMS. No men men were ever on the ward. Just men who claimed to be women. Pretty nasty abusive individuals too. No GRC either not that it matters. Made me sick those women had to tolerate it-and that staff were expected to go along with the lie.
Hopefully the ruling has put an end to it but time will tell.

Are you able to share where this was? On here, or DM @KnottyAuty maybe? We are still collecting data for the NHS audit and this (even if not NHS) would be really helpful.

That is a story that needs highlighting.
Stories from NHS Staff need to be shared because I had no idea this was being done in my name - I’m so sorry to staff and patients

Back to work after a week off. Radio silence.
I’ve checked the bi-weekly newsletter (due to BH last one was last Thursday). Scrolled through the intranet message board. Checked the feed of our LGBTQ+++ champion, he who regularly updates us on LGBTQ events, IDAHOBIT, the late placement of the Pride flag days after Pride month had started etc. Not a peep. No emails. Nothing.
It’s quite funny really but my guess is they are all in a panic and working out what to do next.
Took a patient back to one of the wards and asked an unsuspecting nurse if there were single sex changing rooms. (I knew there aren’t). Wide eyed she said “No, we all have to share”. But how do you change? I asked. “It’s horrid” she said, “we have to lock ourselves in the (only) toilet in the changing /locker room.” Which must take an age at shift changeover times with a lot of staff coming and going.
To be fair to the Trust it’s an old hospital with a chronic lack of space, so if they are keeping an eye on the a sandy Peggie case they will be having to rustle up new changing rooms from somewhere. Which won’t be easy.

I would hate to work under conditions like this. If noone is looking after the NHS staff, how on earth are you meant to look after us?!

None of us can give what we are not getting

On one FWR thread, there is a truly wretched story about a woman whose care and safety were compromised when she was taken out of her (effectively isolation) side room so that it could be given to an incoming TW patient

If my memory is accurate, the (transplant?) patient died.

It was shared earlier this year in a discussion of EDI training on NHS England’s compulsory training and some of the questions and expected ‘correct’ responses.

The thing is, depending on the case, if they lose in the ECHR that decision will have persuasive authority on all the courts throughout Europe. Would they risk it?

Not NHS but I received a newsletter from Arts Council England this week which mentioned the ruling. It was completely neutral and factual with a link to the relevant SC statement.

I was surprised but pleased. I guess they've learnt their lesson from Denise Fahmy's case.

Wow. That’s impressive - I thought Arts Council was totally captured.

I think they are dumb enough.

And it would ultimately result in the UK leaving the ECHR and negating any such judgement anyway.

It's an own goal waiting to happen if they choose that option. It's lose lose for them.

I'll DM @KnottyAuty

My Trust sent out a very similar letter to the OP's, Usual 'everyone - except actual women - has the right to feel safe and included' stuff. And a support contact number for those distressed by the judgement. I deleted it in sheer irritation, but am going to retrieve and save it tomorrow.

Finally a message from our CEO….

Basically sympathising with our trans and non-binary staff. (No mention of women obviously).
Everyone deserves to feel safe blah blah.

Ending with : We are awaiting further guidance from Equality and Human Rights commission. Until then there will be no immediate changes to our policies.

As I had predicted, sitting on their hands hoping it will all go away or that someone higher up will find a way to ignore the ruling.

I already sent an FOI asking about single sex changing facilities for staff. I’ll send more to the other two trusts that are part of our group. I like to let them know they are being watched. 😉

As with schools, if something now happens in a changing room or ward they are legally fucked.

NHS England haven't even updated their internal approach yet - I emailed our estates team after the ruling as they previously insisted to me that the female marked toilets were still single sex even though transwomen were able to use them.