Dear Northern Health and Social Care Trust (Northern Ireland),

The Department of Health, in response to the following FOI, have said they do not hold the information and these questions should be directed to each of the individual Trusts:

1. Is there guidance in place to ensure that the HSC provides single-sex (ie biological, natal sex) wards, changing rooms, and toilets throughout the HSC estate?
Please share any such guidance including consultations and Section 75 assessments, including any specific reference to provision for a patient or staff member claiming a ‘trans identity’,
i) without a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC)
ii) or with a GRC.

2. Where a patient requests care provision by a staff member of the same (biological) sex,
i) What guidance is in place for responding to such a request?
ii) What guidance covers a situation where a staff member of the opposite (biological) sex claims to be of the same sex (ie claims to be a woman but is biologically male, or vice versa), but does not hold a GRC?
iii) What guidance covers a situation where a staff member of the opposite (biological) sex claims to be of the same sex (ie claims to be a woman but is biologically male, or vice versa), and does hold a GRC?
Please share anonymised copies of any policies, guidance documents, or correspondence relating to this matter, including Section 75 assessments.

3. If a person requests accommodation in a ward that does not match their biological, natal sex, is this facilitated:
i) If they do not hold a GRC?
ii) If they do hold a GRC?
Please share anonymised copies of any policies, guidance documents, or correspondence relating to this matter, including Section 75 assessments.

4. How are staff advised to respond if a patient complains about a person of the opposite (biological) sex in their ward,
i) if that trans-identified person does not hold a GRC?
ii) if they do hold a GRC?
Please provide any written guidance or a response from the Trusts detailing the approach to be used in such situations.

Yours faithfully,

Ann Black

Dear Marjorie,

The documents provided do not respond to my specific questions about your guidance and policies around single-sex provision, where 'sex' is a biological reality. The guidance provided talks about 'gender' (undefined, may conflict with biological sex), 'gender identity' (which is an untestable claim about a personal feeling about oneself, often at odds to reality), 'gender expression' (which is about fashion choices and hairstyles and not relevant to medical services). Could you please respond to my specific questions about single-sex provision, as asked?

Thank-you,

Ann Black

Dear Northern Health and Social Care Trust (Northern Ireland),

Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of Information reviews.

I am writing to request an internal review of Northern Health and Social Care Trust (Northern Ireland)'s handling of my FOI request 'Single-Sex Provision in the Northern Trust'.

On the 12th April, I responded to you to point out that your previous response did not answer my questions about guidance and policies around single-sex provision, and asked you to please respond to my specific questions about single-sex provision, as asked. I received an automated response saying you were out of office until the 20th April.

It is now the 17th September, and I have not received any answer to the specific questions in this FOI.

A full history of my FOI request and all correspondence is available on the Internet at this address: https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/s...

Yours faithfully,

Ann Black