Dear Southern 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 Team, Foi,

The documents provided were not responses to questions I asked. Whereas I asked about single-sex provision, the guidance provided talks about 'gender' (undefined), '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).

I raised the FOI to ask specific questions about your guidance and policies around single-sex provision, being clear to define the understood meaning of 'sex' as being a biological reality. Please respond to my questions as asked.

Yours sincerely,

Ann Black