A recruiter told a gender-critical job applicant not to “waste time” applying to the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust.
The NHS Trust runs the gender identity development service, also known as GIDS, the UK’s main gender identity clinic for young people.
A chairman and two non-executive director roles were recently advertised there in a bid to bring in external expertise to improve the “inadequate” rating it got from inspectors in 2021.
Kate Grimes, a former hospital CEO with gender-critical views, expressed interest in applying to a recruiter at Gatenby Sanderson.
She was allegedly told not to “waste time” as the Trust was not interested in hiring people who “believe that there are only two sexes”, The Times reported.
An email from Dr Melanie West, a recruiter at the firm, reportedly said: “I have to say that your view on sex being immutable is not a view point that the trust would wish any of their non-executives to hold and as such I would not recommend that you waste time making an application for this — it will be one of the questions I will be asking candidates at first stage interview.”
Grimes claimed that the recruiter’s response “absolutely astonished” her and that she has written to health secretary Sajid Javid over “indoctrination at an organisational level”.
“It is perfectly possible to support and care for children with gender dysphoria without believing it is literally possible to change biological sex,” she told The Times. “Indeed, it is a fundamental principle of good healthcare that one’s personal beliefs do not interfere with the care provided.”
Despite the shock expressed by the hopeful applicant, the GIDS website states that it recognises “how complex ideas around gender can be and that there is a huge range of human diversity in how people feel about and express their gender.”
It acknowledges that “neither ‘boy’ nor ‘girl’ seems the right word” for how some children see themselves, which the clinic exists to help them with.
A spokesperson for Gatenby Sanderson told GAY TIMES: “We are aware of the communication between a GatenbySanderson consultant and an applicant to which you refer. That correspondence fell significantly below the standards that we expect and it does not represent the views or position of either GatenbySanderson or the Tavistock and Portman NHS Trust. It would not be appropriate to comment further on that individual case.
“GatenbySanderson conducts all recruitment processes in compliance with applicable law, including the Equality Act 2010. We welcome applications from appropriately qualified candidates and do not refuse applications, or make decisions, based on any characteristic which is protected by law.”
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