In recent weeks, the NHS has come under fire for a controversial training module that has ignited a heated debate over gender identity and women's rights. The training, which was made compulsory for NHS England employees, has been criticized for labeling women as "transphobic" if they express discomfort with sharing toilets with transgender colleagues. This backlash has prompted women's rights campaigners to call for an urgent review of the training, which they argue is partisan and ideologically driven. As the NHS navigates the complexities of equality, diversity, and inclusion, the implications of this training on staff morale and patient care remain a pressing concern.
PTV: The NHS sparked outrage after telling staff that women are “transphobic” if they don’t want to share toilets with transgender colleagues.
Compulsory training that was introduced in August for NHS England employees also claims that ‘people, rather than women or mothers, can become pregnant and take maternity leave.
Earlier this month women’s rights campaigners have written to NHS chief executive Amanda Pritchard to criticise the training and demand that it was urgently reviewed.
The Mail Online reports: Another passage suggested that it is discriminatory for nurses or doctors to pray for unwell patients.
Women’s rights campaigners wrote to NHS chief executive Amanda Pritchard to criticise the ‘partisan and ideological’ training and demand that it be amended earlier this month.
Last night, after being contacted by the Mail, the NHS admitted that it has since withdrawn the training module and that it will be replaced ‘in the next few weeks’.
The 23-page document – titled ‘Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Human Rights Skills’ – stated that ‘all staff, including off payroll workers, are obliged to complete the modules’.
The training manual, which included five ‘case studies’, required staff to answer ten multiple-choice questions to test whether they are discriminatory.
In one section headed ‘transphobic colleague’, it gives an example of a member of NHS staff who does not wish to share a bathroom with a trans person.
The document states that this is ‘not acceptable’ and that asking whether trans staff can instead use gender-neutral or disabled toilets could constitute ‘illegal harassment’.
It adds: ‘It is always an individual’s choice to use whichever facilities match how they identify.’
The document was shared with the Mail by an NHS worker concerned about the training but who said they were under pressure from bosses to complete it.
The whistleblower revealed: ‘Passing this training is required in order to progress your pay and career, and ultimately even to be employed by NHS England.
‘For all the supposed commitment to “diversity”, if you don’t agree with the ideology of a dominant clique, you either have to lie or leave.’
In another section of the document it includes ‘pregnancy and maternity’ among a list of protected characteristics, but fails to use the words woman or mother.
The article discusses the backlash against NHS England's compulsory training module that has been criticized for its stance on gender identity, particularly regarding the use of shared facilities. It highlights the concerns raised by women's rights campaigners about the language used in the training, which they argue undermines the recognition of women and mothers. The NHS has since acknowledged the controversy and announced plans to withdraw the training module, indicating a need for a review of its content. The situation raises important questions about the balance between inclusivity and the rights of women in the workplace.