Some women who have been victims of sexual violence say they have skipped their smear test

Campaigners have raised concerns that a new policy which allows male doctors to self-identify as female is deterring vulnerable women from visiting gynaecologists.

A handful of women claim that they have cancelled, delayed or felt uncomfortable during cervical cancer screenings because they were anxious about being presented with a healthcare worker who had transitioned to female.

A survey of 2,000 women by the campaign group Women and Girls in Scotland invited respondents to say whether they had ever excluded themselves from a service because of gender concerns.

One woman wrote: “I’ve already missed three smear tests because I am so scared of being presented with a male nurse.” Another said: “The NHS currently try whenever possible to provide me with female healthcare providers due to