Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what guidance his Department provides to obstetricians, gynaecologists, midwives, paediatricians and other medical professionals on disorders of sexual development.

Health Education England (HEE) has advised that the content and standard of medical, nursing and midwifery training, including education on disorders of sexual development, is the responsibility of regulatory bodies, the General Medical Council (GMC) and the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). The GMC and the NMC are independent professional bodies with the function of promoting and co-ordinating high standards of clinical education ensuring that all students and newly qualified doctors, midwives and nurses are equipped with the knowledge, skills and attitudes essential for professional practice.

Medical schools design curricula for undergraduate medical education and Medical Royal Colleges for postgraduate medical education. In the case of general practitioners the training curricula is designed by the Royal College of General Practitioners. In doing so, they must ensure that teaching meets the standards of the GMC in able to retain GMC recognition of their course.

However, HEE will work with stakeholders, such as the NMC, to influence training curricula for all medical and non-medical staff.

In regards to continuing professional development of doctors, nurses and midwives, this is the responsibility of individual practitioners and their employers. Local Education and Training Boards (LETBs) have a role in ensuring employers remain committed to continuing professional development and in developing the overall strategy for workforce skills and development in their areas, including on disorders of sexual development.

NHS England has advised that paediatricians will receive general training on disorders of sexual development, particularly Grid Trainees specialising in paediatric endocrinology. Medical staff who have patients with disorders of sexual development referred to them, will have received specialist training on this condition.