NHS trusts face scrutiny on LGBT inclusion

Forty trusts may submit to being ‘benchmarked’ on diversity in a £220,000 taxpayer-funded project

NHS trusts may be assessed by Stonewall on their LGBT “inclusion” in a £220,000 taxpayer-funded project, The Sunday Telegraph has learnt.

Forty NHS trusts can sign up to be “benchmarked” on diversity after NHS England awarded the contract, titled NHS Rainbow Badges, to five LGBT groups. Trusts will be given a bronze, silver or gold award depending on their “inclusive cultures” and “trans status monitoring”, with assessors hired on a higher starting salary than nurses.

A leading role will be played by Stonewall, the LGBTQ+ charity, despite many high-profile organisations and government departments withdrawing from its diversity scheme.

The £220,000 national NHS scheme, which was finalised last month and is not mandatory, will see Stonewall and the LGBT Foundation work to “build a more systemic approach to LGBT awareness and inclusion”, including “monitoring, culture, education and training”. Medics taking part are urged in official guidance to “pledge” via social media or a blog post “about how you will be an effective LGBT+ ally”, in order to “earn” a Pride flag badge.

But feminists fear creeping influence by trans lobby groups within the NHS, after it was found to have spent almost £500,000 on Stonewall’s advice in the past three years.

Sajid Javid, the Health Secretary, vowed last month to be “watchful for waste or wokery” within the NHS after Tory MPs expressed concern at public money being spent on diversity training.

It comes as hospitals are to be given new guidance by the equalities regulator on preserving single-sex wards, after The Telegraph revealed some trusts said sex offenders who identified as women could be placed on female-only wards, and branded dissenters transphobic.

Stonewall says that, through the awards, it will “ensure that trusts are implementing the relevant staff training, monitoring, inclusive policies and support” for LGBT staff and patients. It says it will use experience from its Diversity Champions scheme, which has had a string of high-profile exits, prompting Liz Truss, the equalities minister, to call for Whitehall to cut ties.

It comes as more than 500 medical professionals have signed a letter to Lord Evans, chairman of the committee on standards in public life, calling for a public inquiry into Stonewall’s influence in state institutions such as the NHS, police forces and government departments. The letter by campaign group Sex Matters argues the meaning of biological sex is being “erased” at the “behest of lobby groups claiming to represent the transgender minority”.

An NHS spokesman said: “We know that some people are put off seeking care because of their sexuality, so this project is intended to help everyone feel able to come forward for help.”

A Stonewall spokesperson said: “We’re proud to support the NHS’ Rainbow Badges programme to ensure that all lesbian, gay, bi, trans and queer people have access to accessible and inclusive health services, and are free to be themselves.”