Trust Defends Controversial Pronoun Guidance
Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Trust is facing backlash for its training on how staff should address transgender patients. The trust brands itself as “a values-based, inclusive organisation” with a focus on “person-centred” care. It insists that correct pronoun use is a “simple but powerful” way to respect and support transgender patients and staff.
Training Sparks Criticism and Confusion
The training materials, provided to its 5,300 staff across 40 sites, were created by Birmingham LGBT charity and have been delivered voluntarily three times a year. They advise staff on how to navigate gender uncertainty in patients. For example, if unsure of a patient’s pronouns, the documents instruct staff to use “they/them”.
The materials even recommend swapping traditional terms like “lady” for neutral words such as “person” when the patient is unknown to staff. Phone calls get special attention too, warning staff not to judge pronouns by voice pitch alone. For instance, calling someone “sir” just because they have a deep voice is deemed inappropriate if medical records list a female name.
Campaigners Slam Policy as ‘Dehumanising’
Fiona McAnena, director at Sex Matters, has slammed the guidance as “dehumanising and uncaring”. She argued patients deserve “the warmth and respect of normal human speech” rather than robotic avoidance of gendered language. McAnena also warned the policy could confuse non-native English speakers and called for a return to clear, familiar terms like “men” and “women”.
Trust Caught Between Criticism and National Review
Despite criticism, the trust says training continues three times a year, though attendance is voluntary. Meanwhile, NHS England is reviewing its national guidance on treating transgender patients, which may lead to changes across the NHS. Until then, many trusts, including Birmingham’s, are left to set their own rules on how staff should address patients.
