The de-gendered medical form at Cromwell Hospital
Cromwell Hospital's radiology department has a series of de-gendered forms given to both patients and clinicians for scans, including CT, MRI, and ultrasound.
The forms ask people if they are a "patient of childbearing potential", while staff are asked to "state the date of the first day of the patient's menstrual period".
Maya Forstater, co-founder and executive director of Sex Matters, accused the hospital of asking "nonsensical questions".
"Healthcare records should show everyone's sex clearly and accurately. 'Patients with childbearing potential' are women," she said. There is no point in being coy about sex.
Comment: Exactly. Who are they kidding here? The only people of 'chid-bearing' potential are women.
"We are seeing this kind of thing all over as NHS organisations decide not to record patients' sex because they are afraid of falling foul of the criminal penalties in the Gender Recognition Act.
"Going around the houses with nonsensical questions about 'childbearing potential' is not necessary and it makes it more likely that mistakes will be made."
The small south Kensington hospital is run by Bupa.
Milli Hill, founder of the Positive Birth Movement, said: "Over and over again we see these examples of 'inclusive' language which actually excludes the vast majority of the intended audience - women.
"Not only is it offensive to erase women from language in this way, it's actually obscuring health messaging which could potentially be dangerous to women with low literacy or English as a second language. There is nothing inclusive about it."
The removal of "woman" from medical literature has been described as "dehumanising" by campaigners.
In July, the charity Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust was criticised for advising medics to use the term "bonus hole" or "front hole" as an alternative to vagina as part of a glossary created in partnership with the LGBT Foundation.
Bev Jackson, a women's rights activist and co-founder of LGB Alliance, said: "There is no reason for the rest of society to adapt our language so as not to offend people who are offended by reality.
"Some people wish to ignore the very clear biological differences between men and women."
James Esses, a former Childline counsellor who was asked to leave after raising concerns that the charity had been captured by the trans lobby, said the forms only served to alienate women.
He wrote in a social media post: "Have just been sent this by a patient at London's Cromwell Hospital.
"According to staff there, the term 'women' has been replaced by 'Patients of Childbearing Potential', on the basis of "inclusivity". Alienating over half the population in the name of 'inclusivity'."
The Telegraph revealed last year that some NHS Trusts were asking men if they were pregnant before undergoing radiotherapy after the Government removed the word "female" from the law governing the medical procedures and replaced it with "individuals".
Philip Luce, chief executive at Cromwell Hospital, said: "We are proud to be an inclusive hospital, welcoming patients across all diversity groups. It is important that our patients feel safe and their medical care is tailored to their needs.
"It's essential that we know if someone is pregnant ahead of an MRI scan. All our materials and practices comply with industry standards so that our patients receive the most safe standards of care."
Reader Comments