Our FOIs indicate that this is an ongoing explicit strategy that has taken place:ī. The responses (found here, and here) confirmed that NHS Digital had taken the decision to remove the words ‘woman’ and ‘women’ from information on women’s health issues, in particular cancers affecting women. We submitted Freedom of Information (FOI) requests to NHS Digital which is responsible for the health information content on the NHS.UK website. Specifically, the NHS must use women’s words for women’s bodies and women’s health problems. We call for the reinstatement of sex-based, respectful communication that meets the healthcare needs of women.

Full impact assessments should have been done before any changes to communications. Removal of sex-based language is discriminatory and could leave the NHS open to legal challenge. The current removal of the language of women in healthcare communication harms women and undermines health outcomes. The Clinical Advisory Network on Sex and Gender is a multidisciplinary group of clinicians concerned about changes to the NHS.UK website which have removed accurate and respectful terminology about women’s health. Re: The importance of the word “woman” in communication about women’s health To: Chief Executives for NHS England, NHS Scotland, NHS Wales, and Health and Social Care, Northern Ireland: Amanda Pritchard, Caroline Lamb, Judith Paget and Peter MayĪnd, Chief Nursing Officers for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland: Dame Ruth May, Alex McMahon, Sue Tranka and Maria McIlgorm.

The Sex-Ray by Clyde Allison