[Oliver_W]

Women who identify as men are not being routinely offered potentially life saving NHS screening for breast and cervical cancer, amid fears it might offend them it is claimed.

However men living as women are being invited for cervical smear tests even though they do not have a cervix, an official guidebook states.

A 24-page Public Health England booklet giving information on NHS screening programmes for trans people explains who is routinely invited for tests.

The booklet explains that trans people who register with their GP as being their birth sex will be invited to screenings appropriate to that.

But if they register with their doctor as their new gender, they will not be. For example if a trans man, who was born a woman, registers with a GP as male, they will not be sent an invitation for breast or cervical screening. Studies have reported most trans men have not had their wombs removed.

Cervical cancer claims the lives of 900 women each year in Britain, but the NHS screening programme is estimated to prevent thousands of cases.

A video accompanying the guidance explains that smear tests can be “uncomfortable” for trans men, as “it is often a procedure designed for women”.

Public Heath England said the invites were generated using GP’s data on sex and age. The advice says trans men not invited for a smear test “should still consider having cervical screening”.

Anne Mackie, director of screening, said: “Where people feel they are not being referred correctly, they can speak to their GP or the screening service to ensure they are offered the right services.

“Following engagement with the LGBT community, we produced a guide to help trans people understand what screening is available in England. We have promoted the guide to LGBT groups to help trans people access the most appropriate screening for them.”

Thoughts?