UK Government Urged to Collect Accurate Biological Sex Data

Health Secretary Wes Streeting has emphasized the importance of accurately recording biological sex in healthcare and public records to ensure patient safety, following a review led by Professor Alice Sullivan. The review found that conflating sex with gender identity in data collection has led to missed cancer referrals and compromised research into women's health issues. Streeting plans to act on the findings, which recommend that public bodies, including police forces and the NHS, should separately record biological sex and gender identity. The report also criticizes the practice of issuing new NHS numbers based on self-identified gender, warning that it could jeopardize patient care. The government has yet to confirm whether it will implement the recommendations, which include a mandatory order for police to record biological sex rather than gender identity. These changes are seen as vital for maintaining the integrity of health and justice services across the UK.