UK Health Secretary Steve Barclay announced plans to ban transgender women from female NHS wards Wednesday. He claimed the changes will ensure respect for patients’ “privacy, dignity, and safety” but did not elaborate on how the changes would impact transgender patients.

During his speech at the Conservative Conference 2023, Barclay declared his intention to change the NHS Constitution in order to introduce this ban. He stated that the government must “recognise the importance of different biological needs” and “protect the rights of women.” These proposed changes come shortly after Barclay removed the use of gender-neutral language on the NHS website for pages that described conditions such as cervical cancer and menopause. Barclay said the language was “unacceptable” and reinstated gender specific terminology on the website. Furthermore, Barclay claimed to have “stopped the NHS ordering staff to declare pronouns to each new patient.”

This newest development has received backlash from UK LGBTQ+ organisations regarding its treatment of transgender people. Pride London condemned the changes on X (previously Twitter), describing them as “unjust.” They further stated, “Singling out trans women from female hospital wards jeopardises their health and fosters intolerance. Transphobic rationales about ‘protecting’ patients are inaccurate. True equality means trans women have the same healthcare rights.”

Barclay’s proposed changes to NHS wards and the NHS constitution are set to be discussed in a consultation taking place later this year.