NHS England has brought in new guidance which requires staff to accommodate patients according to their biological sex, rather than their gender identity.

It marks a complete U–turn from previous policy, published in 2019, which said healthcare workers should respect an individual's gender identity.

The new rules, published on Thursday, come 18 months after the Supreme Court ruled that "sex" in the Equality Act means biological sex.

It will now mean the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King’s Lynn and the James Paget University Hospital in Gorleston will have to comply.

The Norfolk and Waveney University Hospitals Group - which has managed the three sites since May 2025 - had previously said its policies were under review.

That stance had prompted criticism from gender-critical campaigners, who have been calling on the hospitals to act upon the Supreme Court ruling, warning that their previous rules were unlawful.

James Paget University Hospital in Gorleston (Image: Google Maps)

The Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT) - which manages mental health facilities in the county - will also have to follow the advice.

The guidance also........

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