Thread by @Scot_Feminists

"NHS row as staff plan #Pride march through grounds of Scotland children’s hospital"
It's difficult to explain the disbelief we experienced when reading this story. A political march through Edinburgh's Royal Infirmary, past the Sick Kids??
telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/06/0…

@NHSScotland bosses have waded into the “toxic” debate over transgender rights by allowing activists to organise an “ideological and political” march through the grounds of one of Scotland’s largest hospitals.

The country’s second-largest health board is facing accusations of undermining the impartiality of the health service by allowing the #PrideMonth2023 event, at which staff have been urged to brandish banners and placards, at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh on Friday afternoon.

Some NHS Lothian staff claimed the official backing for the event was fuelling a culture of fear in which gender-critical staff and patients were being made to feel unwelcome at hospitals. (And we agree with this sentiment, we have to say)

The support for the march came as it emerged Edinburgh’s Sick Kids hospital is attempting to gain the formal approval of LGBT Youth Scotland, a controversial lobby group with links to #Mermaids, which promotes an “affirming” model of care for young people with gender issues.

(Note here, LGBTYS's remit is 13-25yr old school children. It is currently under investigated by the Charity Commission after historical accusations of abuse of young adults. Why should this org be in the Sick Kids hospital)
lgbtyouth.org.uk/about-us/

The development led to claims that the Scottish NHS is failing to learn the lessons of the Tavistock scandal, where questions have been raised about the influence of activists with no medical training inr the treatment of child patients.

The one-mile Pride march will begin outside the Sick Kids hospital, which is on the same huge site at Little France, in the southeast of the Scottish capital, as the Royal Infirmary.

“To have such a prominent march on an issue that is so toxic and divisive should not be allowed when the health service is supposed to be apolitical,” a doctor who works at the campus said.

“The NHS should be about bringing people of different beliefs and cultures together, not picking a side on an issue that is so controversial and will make patients and staff feel they are not welcome.”

The clinician, who asked not to be named for fear their job could be at risk for speaking out, said it was “very concerning” to see NHS Lothian’s children’s services attempt to gain charter status from LGBT Youth Scotland, which will have a stall at the Pride event.

A large transgender rights Pride flag has recently been given a prominent place at the Sick Kids hospital, furthering fears among some staff that the organisation had been “captured” by activists.

“There are multiple issues with having a trans flag at the entrance of the specialist child psychiatric facility in Scotland,” the doctor added.

“We’ve seen what happened at the Tavistock when Mermaids were given so much influence but they don’t seem to want to learn any of the lessons.
“Why should an organisation with no clinical clout whatsoever be able to lobby a specialist children’s hospital?

“Staff are frightened about speaking up about this and feel they are being forced to toe the line.
“But a parasite needs a host and it just seems like the NHS has been completely captured by this ideology.”

The Pride march has been organised by NHS Lothian’s LGBT+ staff network as well as workers at the Royal Infirmary and Sick Kids, officially called the Royal Hospital for Children and Young people.

LGBT Youth Scotland have been involved in designing an event which organisers said would “celebrate the diversity of our dedicated team”.
The march has been promoted through NHS Lothian’s official channels with a “small fair” and music also promised as part of “festivities”.

Another staff member said: “This might seem like just a nice celebration but it’s actually contributing to a culture of fear which makes staff feel that if they voice any disagreement to gender ideology they will be immediately called a bigot.

“If the NHS now does not believe in biology then we really are in la la land”
“The NHS has always been known as apolitical &for good reason. If you allow 1 group to do this how do you say no to another? Allowing an ideological &political march to go ahead will open a can of worms

“NHS Lothian is not a transphobic or homophobic organisation so why on earth is there a need for a protest march on site?
“We’ll have patients and visitors who might be at hospital for really distressing reasons and they’ll see this and won’t have a scooby what is going on.”

Janis Butler, director for HR and organisational development for NHS Lothian, said the “event was in line with NHS Lothian’s “organisational values”.

She added: “This is a celebratory event organised by our staff, including local LGBT + staff and allies networks at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, Royal Hospital for Children and Young People and University of Edinburgh to mark the start of #PrideMonth2023 month.

There is a mini wellbeing fair with information stalls, art, music, picnics and an organised health walk around our dedicated outdoor wellbeing path.

“It’s important that NHS Lothian positively contributes to tackling prejudice and promoting understanding of the diverse group of people in our communities who work for and with us and who use our services.”

(We wait with bated breath to see which other political & ideological groups are allowed to march round NHS Lothian's ground @NHSScotland. Can't see any problem with an Indy march one day, with anti-abortionists the next. That should positively contribute to tackling predjudice)