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<\/p>\nMental health hospitals responsible for violent criminals have policies which allow biologically male patients to \u201cself identify\u201d as women, an audit has revealed.<\/p>\n
Campaigners warned that NHS trusts are \u201cplaying Russian roulette with women\u2019s safety\u201d by placing transgender women \u2014 who were born male \u2014 on female wards.<\/p>\n
In some cases, hospitals acknowledged that some trans patients may pose a \u201crisk to a particular gender\u201d or be \u201csexually disinhibited\u201d and \u201cvery distressing for other patients on a single-sex ward\u201d.<\/p>\n
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Broadmoor Hospital has guidelines which instruct staff to refer to patients by the gender they prefer<\/p>\n
NEIL HALL\/REX\/SHUTTERSTOCK<\/p>\n
A women\u2019s rights group used freedom of information laws to obtain sex and gender policies at NHS mental health trusts in London, covering hospitals such as Broadmoor which looks after \u201cforensic patients\u201d \u2014 those detained in a mental health service as an alternative to prison.<\/p>\n
The audit, shared with The Times, found that the trusts allow biological men to be placed on single-sex female wards and spaces if they identify as a woman. <\/p>\n
One trust, South West London and St George\u2019s, suggested that it may sometimes be appropriate to put forensic trans patients on a ward in line with their biological sex \u201cwhile they are acutely unwell\u201d due to being a possible \u201crisk to a particular gender\u201d. The policy document added: \u201cOnce they have recovered and have regained capacity it would be essential to reassess the risk \u2026 and if safe and appropriate, to arrange a move to a ward in accordance with their correct gender.\u201d<\/p>\n
The trust also gave the example of a trans patient getting undressed in front of members of the opposite sex and revealing their genitals. <\/p>\n
It said: \u201cA patient with bipolar (who happens also to be trans) who is in a manic state and who does not have capacity may be disinhibited and at risk of disrobing in public. Depending on where they are in their transition, it may be more appropriate for them to be admitted to a ward that is in line with their birth gender \u2026 while they are acutely unwell and at risk of \u2018outing\u2019 themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n
Other NHS trusts have similar policies. Central and North Western London said that it \u201crespects an individual\u2019s right to self-identify as male or female\u201d, and that transgender women have the right to access women\u2019s support groups and toilets. <\/p>\n
However, it said that, in some cases, \u201cfurther consideration may be needed as to how best to manage a trans individual\u201d. It gave the example of how \u201ca sexually disinhibited pre-operative transsexual individual may be very distressing for other patients on a single sex ward\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Trans row nurse demands union clarifies position on single-sex spaces<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n West London NHS Trust, which runs the high-security Broadmoor Hospital \u2014 known for housing serial killers, including the late Peter Sutcliffe, the \u201cYorkshire Ripper\u201d \u2014 said: \u201cStaff must use names, titles and hospital accommodation that the service user regards as appropriate<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n The NHS is currently reviewing its guidelines on same-sex accommodation after the Supreme Court ruling that sex means biological sex. Under the current NHS guidelines, written in 2019, trans people should be accommodated according to the way they dress, their names and pronouns; rather than sex.<\/p>\n A women\u2019s rights campaigner involved in the audit said: \u201cWe have found examples of NHS trusts allowing forensic patients who were born male to self-identify as women.<\/p>\n \u201cForensic patients are those referred to the NHS from court or prison. They have been deemed a risk to themselves and others. They often have violent offending profiles. It is scary to think that their gender identity would override the safety and dignity of women.<\/p>\n \u201cNHS Trusts are playing Russian roulette with women\u2019s safety. The Supreme Court ruling<\/a> clarified that single-sex spaces must be single sex, and it is vital that this is now enforced nationally across all hospitals.\u201d<\/p>\n There have been several high profile cases in which trans NHS staff or patients have accessed women\u2019s wards, changing rooms or lavatories. <\/p>\n
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