Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Sajid Javid promises to 'reverse' gender-neutral language from NHS guidance for menopause

“To give the best possible care to the public common sense and the right language should be used.”

Sajid Javid promises to 'reverse' gender-neutral language from NHS guidance for menopause

BRITISH health secretary Sajid Javid has promised to reverse gender-neutral language in NHS advice after health chiefs removed the term 'women' from guidance for menopause and womb cancer.

On Tuesday (28), MailOnlineexposed how 'women' and 'woman' had been scrubbed from online guidance for menopause. 


Earlier, ministers had promised to crackdown on woke gender-free language in medical advice.

In May, MailOnline revealed how NHS digital had quietly scrubbed all mention of women from its landing pages for ovarian, womb and cervical cancer.

According to Javid, in order to give the best possible care to the public common sense and the right language should be used.

"Language matters. I have made clear that the word ‘woman’ should not be removed from key women’s health pages. I have been assured that the changes highlighted below, as well as others, are being reversed," Javid wrote on Twitter on Wednesday (29).

In its online overview about menopause, NHS advice used to contain six gender-specific mentions. But it was updated on May 17 to remove the terms.

According to experts, de-gendering medical advice could be dangerous for women by over-complicating vital health messaging.

Meanwhile, NHS digital, which manages health information webpages, said that it wanted to ensure the language was 'inclusive'.

Menopause is a natural decline in reproductive hormones when a woman reaches her 40s or 50s. It is signalled by 12 months since the last menstruation.

Common symptoms include hot flashes and vaginal dryness. There may also be sleep disturbances. Experts said that increased awareness about the condition means an increasing number of women are coming forward for advice or medication.

The new, gender-neutral description says: 'Menopause is when your periods stop due to lower hormone levels'.

The old advice also highlighted that menopause usually occurs in women between the ages of 45 and 55, but about one in 100 women experience it before 40.

The NHS webpage on menopause used to describe the condition as 'when a woman stops having periods and is no longer able to get pregnant naturally'.

But none of this information is included in the overview section of the updated webpage, MailOnline report said.

The first mention of 'women' in the new version is on the third page, in a section about drugs to treat the condition.

Dr Karleen Gribble, an expert in nursing and midwifery from Western Sydney University in Australia, said that the risk of de-sexing this information remains that women who have low English or health literacy may not know that the information applies to them.

According to her, the new version of the page violates a 'basic principle' of health communication that identifies who the information is for.

Currently, there are concerns about trans-inclusive language in NHS guidance, with services currently in a 'woke' storm about de-gendering language surrounding women and pregnancy by erasing terms like breastfeeding.

Responding to MailOnline report, an NHS spokesperson said: "The NHS website provides information for everyone. We keep the pages under continual review to ensure they use language that is inclusive, respectful and relevant to the people reading it."

More For You

Sri Lanka forms committee to address UK sanctions
Anura Kumara Dissanayake

Sri Lanka forms committee to address UK sanctions

THE Sri Lanka government on Wednesday (2) formed a committee to recommend measures regarding the UK's decision to impose sanctions on three former military commanders who led the campaign that crushed the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in 2009.

Health minister Nalinda Jayatissa told reporters that foreign minister Vijitha Herath, justice minister Harshana Nanayakkara and deputy minister of defence Aruna Jayasekara would comprise the committee that would consult experts for the purpose.

Keep ReadingShow less
Gujarat-blast-ANI

The blast caused the factory’s concrete roof to collapse, scattering debris and body parts across the area, officials confirmed. (Photo: ANI)

ANI

Death toll rises to 21 in Gujarat firework factory explosion

AN EXPLOSION at an illegal firecracker factory in Gujarat's Deesa town killed 21 people and injured several others on Tuesday, officials said.

The blast caused the factory’s concrete roof to collapse, scattering debris and body parts across the area, officials confirmed.

Keep ReadingShow less
Child benefit payments set to rise for UK families

Child benefit, normally paid every four weeks directly into bank accounts, has undergone significant changes in recent months (Photo: Getty Images)

Child benefit payments set to rise for UK families

MILLIONS of British families are set to receive a financial boost as child benefit payments increase from April 7, according to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).

From next week, parents will receive £26.05 per week for the eldest or only child, amounting to £1,354.60 annually - up from the current rate of £25.60. For each additional child, payments will rise to £17.25 weekly, totalling £897 per year - an increase from the present £16.95 rate. This represents a 1.7 per cent increase across all payment categories.

Keep ReadingShow less
Anant Ambani Walks 140 Km in Spiritual Tribute on 30th Birthday

Anant’s padyatra is a reflection of the larger cultural fabric of India

Getty

Anant Ambani embarks on a 140-kilometer spiritual journey on foot to celebrate 30th birthday

Anant Ambani, a director of Reliance Industries Limited and a prominent figure in Indian industry, has chosen a unique and spiritual way to mark his 30th birthday. As part of his celebrations, he is currently undertaking a padyatra—a traditional pilgrimage on foot—from Jamnagar to Dwarka, covering a distance of approximately 140 kilometres. The journey reflects his devotion to Lord Dwarkadhish, the presiding deity of the Dwarkadhish Temple in the city of Dwarka.

Anant began his journey from his family’s residence in Moti Khavdi, Jamnagar, and has been progressing steadily for the past five days. Walking an estimated 10-12 kilometres each night, he travels under the protection of Z+ security and local police, ensuring his safety during this significant journey. The padyatra is expected to take between seven to nine days in total, with plans to conclude at the Dwarkadhish Temple in time for his birthday on April 10.

Keep ReadingShow less
New TB action plan proposed as cases surge

Government urged experts to come forward to help draw up a new five-year TB action plan. (Photo: Getty Images)

New TB action plan proposed as cases surge

BRITAIN on Wednesday (2) urged health experts and sufferers of tuberculosis (TB) to come forward to help draw up a new five-year action plan as it deals with record rises in the disease.

In 2023, England recorded its largest annual increase (11 per cent) in cases since enhanced surveillance began in 2000.

Keep ReadingShow less