British X-ray operators have been instructed to ask all patients aged 12 to 55, regardless of sex, to fill out a pregnancy status form before conducting scans in the latest woke policy of the National Health Service (NHS).
This guideline follows an incident where a trans man, who was unknowingly pregnant, underwent a CT scan.
The guidelines were created with input from several NHS trusts and trans advocacy groups but did not involve women’s organizations.
However, the new procedure has led to confusion and frustration among patients and NHS staff. Radiographers report that men are leaving appointments in frustration, and women are distressed by what they view as invasive fertility questions.
Patients must provide details such as their sex at birth, preferred name, and pronouns and answer extensive questions about variations in sex characteristics.
Campaigners criticize the practice as humiliating and urge NHS trusts to abandon it. They argue that the form’s questions unnecessarily upset patients and could pose risks if they refuse necessary scans due to frustration. One radiographer described a case where a man on an urgent cancer pathway left in anger without receiving his scan.
The Society of Radiographers developed the “inclusive pregnancy status guidelines for ionizing radiation,” suggesting NHS departments use their form or create similar versions. Although their data suggests that 4.5 percent of British adults identify as trans or non-binary, this contrasts with official census figures of 0.5 percent.
Earlier this year, in May, the UK Department of Health and Social Care declared an emergency ban on puberty blockers for children after the NHS revised its guidelines on the issue in March. The ban was enacted due to the treatments’ lack of demonstrable safety.
