Doncaster NHS trust tells trans staff to use any toilets or showers they want

According to reports, Rotherham, Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust (RDaSH) has drawn up a Staff Trans Equality Policy which states that "trans people are entitled to use single-sex facilities in accordance with their gender.”

Composed with equal-rights group Stonewall, it forbids any colleagues' complaints from interfering with which amenities trans-identifying staff choose to use, according to The Sun.

The document reads: "It is not acceptable to expect an individual undergoing gender reassignment to use facilities designated for use by those of their birth gender.

"Following gender reassignment, whether or not this has involved surgical procedures, the individual should be fully supported in using all facilities appropriate to his or her acquired gender.

"Should there be any objections to this, a manager will deal with the objections in a sensitive and understanding way while not denying the trans person access to facilities appropriate to their lived gender."

Individuals are protected from discrimination by the Equality Act 2010.

The legislation does not require individuals to have undergone any gender reassignment surgery or even be planning to have it and other staff should be "fully supportive".

Citing the Equality Act 2010, the "protected characteristic of gender reassignment," comes under the same umbrella as age, race, and sexual orientation, making discrimination on these grounds illegal.

The policy explains that an individual is recognised to be undergoing gender reassignment if they are" proposing to undergo, is undergoing or has undergone a process… for the purpose of reassigning the person’s sex by changing physiological or other attributes of sex."

Kiri Tunks, of Woman’s Place UK, said: "There are many reasons why women want access to toilet and changing facilities reserved exclusively for them.

"Employers have a duty to balance the rights of all their employees under the Equality Act.

"They need to look for solutions which address everyone’s needs – instead of pursuing actions likely to create tension and conflict."

The trust, which employs 3,700 members of staff who work in community and mental health and disability services, also believed it would "demonstrate that we are a caring, compassionate and inclusive employer which respects people for who they are".

In the document, the term transgender is defined as: "Referring to a broad range of people who experience and/or express their gender differently from what most people expect.

"Either in terms of expressing a gender that does not match the sex listed on their original birth certificate or physically changing their sex."

"It includes people who are Transsexual, cross-dressers or otherwise gender non-conforming. Not all people who consider themselves (or who may be considered by others as) Transgender will undergo a gender Transition."