Chief doctor tells Robinson use of ‘nanny’ term is sexist

DAME SALLY DAVIES, the chief medical officer, has hit out at “sexist” attacks after being accused of “nannying” the public.

She turned the tables on the BBC’S Nick Robinson, asking him whether a man would have been given the label.

Dame Sally was speaking after advice was issued to UK families that they should ban phones at bedtime and keep them away from the dinner table.

In an awkward exchange on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Dame Sally was questioned about the nannying claims by Robinson.

He asked her: “You always have this question, so I know you are familiar with it – this balance you have to get between nannying on the one hand, or being accused of it at least, and on the other hand banality, stating things that are obvious.”

Dame Sally shot back: “I thought you were going to be sexist.”

Robinson asked, “What bit of that is sexist?” and Dame Sally replied: “I wonder whether you would say [that] to a male chief medical officer...”

The presenter clarified: “I said you are often accused of being a nanny, I didn’t say I accused you of being a nanny.”

Dame Sally responded: “Ah, clever.” It comes after she was described as England’s “nanny-in-chief ” by some newspapers.

Calling for action to promote healthy eating in December, she said: “We have to shape it so that it’s easy to take the healthy choice. Do you want to call that nanny state? If so, I am chief nanny.”

Dame Sally spoke out as she issued the first official advice on screen time and social media – urging parents to ban phones from mealtimes and leave them outside of bedrooms at night.

The new guidance suggests parents need to take more control over the digital habits of their sons and daughters and find out what they are watching.

It also suggests using tracking features to monitor how much time children spend looking at screens, or using social media.