Draft NHS Gender Transitioning Guide: FOI release

Information requested

a) The most senior Scottish Government official involved in the development process of the draft guide.

b) The respective directorate and policy areas for Scottish Government officials involved in the development process of the draft guide.

c) The respective unions involved in the development process of the draft guide.

d) The relevant background (i.e. area of expertise) of all 'subject matter experts' involved in the development of the draft guide.

Response

a) The most senior Scottish Government official involved in the development process of the draft guide was the then Deputy Director for Pay, Practice and Partnership, now known as the Deputy Director for Culture, Pay and Partnership within the Health Workforce Directorate and member of the Scottish Workforce and Staff Governance Committee (SWAG), who approve the final drafts of the policies and guides.

b) The directorate and policy areas within Scottish Government who were involved in the development process of the guide were the Health Workforce Practice, Partnership and Experience Unit and the Health Workplace Culture and Wellbeing Unit.

c) The trade unions representatives who were involved in the development process of the draft guide were representatives from; Royal College of Nursing, Royal College of Midwives, Royal College of Podiatry, Unison, Unite the Union, Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, British Medical Association, British Dietetic Association, Society and College of Radiographers and GMB Scotland.

d) While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we are unable to provide the information you have requested because an exemption under section 17(a) apples to some of the information you have requested. The reasons why we don’t have the information are explained in the Annex to this letter.

However, the information we do hold, and are therefore disclosing is the relevant background of the Scottish Government policy representatives who were involved in the development of the guide. These officials are from the workplace culture, workplace wellbeing and equality, diversity and inclusion policy areas.

ANNEX
REASONS FOR NOT PROVIDING INFORMATION

An exemption under Section 17(a) applies to some of the information under part d of your request.

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Scottish Government does not have this information. In line with partnership working, Health Boards were asked to nominate appropriate policy representatives to develop the draft guidance. These include individuals from human resources and trade unions and professional organisations.

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at https://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.