Fri. Sep 20th, 2024
alert-–-nhs-guidance-for-staff-tells-them-to-ask-men-whether-they-are-pregnant-ahead-of-x-ray-proceduresAlert – NHS guidance for staff tells them to ask MEN whether they are PREGNANT ahead of X-ray procedures

NHS radiographers have been told to ask men if they are pregnant before carrying out x-rays.

All patients aged between 12 and 55 at several hospitals must be questioned on their status, regardless of their sex, guidance states.

Under the inclusivity guidance, staff are instructed to consider non-binary, transgender and intersex patients by not making assumptions about them.

It follows an incident in which an unknowingly pregnant trans man had a CT scan.

The personal question had left some women in tears, while some men have stormed out of appointments, radiologists have said.

The guidance has also seen patients asked to fill out forms stating their sex at birth as well as their preferred name and pronouns, the Telegraph reported.

Campaigners have called on NHS Trusts to scrap the ‘humiliating’ practices, which say have left women embarrassed by having to explain why they were not able to become pregnant.

The probing question could also remind patients of traumatic experiences they may have had, such as a miscarriage. 

Other patients have simply been left shocked that their sex was not obvious to staff. 

One patient due to have urgent cancer pathway was so angered by the inclusivity questions he left the appointment, a radiologist said.

Another patient who was having scans every day for a week, began to doubt themselves after being quizzed about their identity before each check.

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