Backlash over hospital’s woke f lags

NHS bosses have been accused of ‘woke pandering’ after bringing out a banner featuring flags for 21 genders or sexualities.

The familiar gay pride ‘ rainbow’ flag appears on the Royal Stoke Hospital banner alongside designs representing some lesser-known identities, such as polysexual, demiromantic and genderqueer.

The collection of flags is titled ‘Everyone is welcome here’.

Patients at the hospital in Stokeon-Trent have expressed outrage at the banner, with one telling The Sun: ‘ People are waiting months and even years for treatment but the NHS is more interested in woke pandering than taking care of patients, it seems.’

University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust – considered one of the country’s worst performing - said the flag enables patients to ‘be themselves’. The trust added that the banner, which was installed last year, was to show support for LGBTQ+ communities ahead of Pride month in June.

Jane Haire, UHNM chief people officer, said: ‘We understand that different individuals may have varying views on symbols and flags used to represent different identities, but this banner symbolises our commitment to achieving a more inclusive organisation, where both colleagues and the people we care for are encouraged to be themselves.’

The banner comes after NHS England was criticised last year for including 18 gender options on a patient form.

And in November last year, NHS doctors criticised a new ‘nonsensical’ form they were being asked to fill out that involved ticking a box on which genitalia patients had.