Britain’s NHS to ban trans patients from female-only wards as health secretary strikes back at ‘wokery’ in medicine

Britain’s National Health System will ban transgender patients from female-only wards — as its secretary strikes back at “wokery” in medicine.

Steve Barclay, 51, vowed to update the NHS constitution Tuesday, which includes banning transgender patients from gender-specific wards, allowing patients to request care by those of the same biological sex and for staff to stop declaring pronouns for those in their care.

Barclay, who has been Health Secretary for a year, said his plan would bring a “common sense approach to sex and equality” and protect women’s rights.

“We will change the NHS constitution following a consultation later this year to make sure we respect the privacy, dignity and safety of all patients; recognize the importance of different biological needs, and protect the rights of women,” he wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.

“We need a common-sense approach to sex and equality issues in the NHS. That is why I am announcing proposals for clearer rights for patients,” Barclay told the Telegraph.

“And I can confirm that sex-specific language has now been fully restored to online health advice pages about cervical and ovarian cancer and the menopause. It is vital that women’s voices are heard in the NHS and the privacy, dignity and safety of all patients are protected.”

Earlier this year, the NHS faced massive backlash after moving toward using more inclusive language in its branding, opting to change breastfeeding to chestfeeding and calling mothers “birthing people,” among other controversies.

Barclay is reportedly fed up with the “ideological dogma” that has overcome the health care system.

“The Secretary of State is fed up with this agenda and the damage it’s causing, language like ‘chestfeeding,’ talking about pregnant ‘people’ rather than women. It exasperates the vast majority of people, and he is determined to take action on it,” a source close to him told The Telegraph.

“He is concerned that women’s voices should be heard on health care and that too often wokery and ideological dogma is getting in the way of this.”

The NHS’ website has since returned to using gender-specific terms while also keeping more inclusive sections. For example, there is an entire page dedicated to breastfeeding and similar information on chestfeeding for transgender and nonbinary patients.

In addition, Barclay has ordered training material, which tells medical staff to inform patients of their pronouns to create a safe space, to be withdrawn.

“I know as conservatives we know what a woman is,” he told the Tory party conference. “It does not mean ignoring patient’s voices — especially women’s voices when it comes to the importance of biological sex in health care. 

“If we do not get this right now, the long-term consequences could be very serious for the protection of women and future generations.”

Many activists and organizations were pleased with Barclay’s new plan.

Maya Forstate, a director at the campaign group Sex Matters, called the news “fantastic,” saying that “staff trans activists have been wreaking havoc across the health sector.”

A doctor who co-chairs the Clinical Advisory Network, Louise Irvine, applauded Barclays’ move, saying that “biological sex does matter when it comes to health care,” but reiterated that that “doesn’t mean trans people should not be treated with respect and have their healthcare needs met.”