§ Baroness Gould of Potternewton asked Her Majesty's Government:
§ What is their view on the draft European directive on equal treatment between men and women with regard to access to goods and services, particularly the right of individuals to ask to be seen by healthcare professionals of a particular gender. [HL3100]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Lord Warner): The Government broadly support the draft European directive on equal treatment between men and women in access to and the supply of goods and services. We do, however, have concerns about the proposals on insurance and pensions, exemptions and the extent to which the directive may place obligations on service recipients as well as service providers. The European Commission is continuing to negotiate with member states regarding the directive.
34WA§ The Government are committed to making National Health Service services more responsive to patients, by offering more choice across the spectrum of health care. In future, patients' personal preferences will be expressed in the choices that they make, and this may include choosing the gender of the clinician that they wish to see. The ability to choose the gender of clinician may be of particular importance to people of some faiths where questions of decency may arise. The United Kingdom is seeking to ensure that the final form of the directive will enable a patient to express preferences about the gender of their clinician. The negotiations are continuing, however, and, at this stage, we are not in a position to predict the outcome on this issue.