SWINDON health bosses plan to work with NHS England on new sexuality guidance.

NHS England have recommended that doctors, nurses and other health practitioners ask patients about their sexual orientation.

The guidance is intended to help health providers avoid falling foul of equalities laws that demand that no patient is discriminated against.

NHS England believe that by spring 2019 all health providers should be asking patients aged 16 and over about their sexual orientation.

The plans have been criticised by campaigners, including Toothill GP Dr Peter Swinyard.

The Swindon doctor and chairman of the Family Doctor Association called the plans “intrusive and inappropriate”.

However, health chiefs in the town say they plan to go along with the new guidance.

Paul Vater is chief operating officer at Swindon Clinical Commissioning Group, which pays for the healthcare of 230,000 people living in Swindon and Shrivenham.

He said: “We are aware of the new NHS England guidance and will ensure that we monitor compliance from all our health care providers as this is implemented.”

A spokesman for Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said: “We are proud of our commitment to upholding equality and diversity, and fully supportive of any new initiative that helps to ensure all patients - regardless of their age, gender, race or sexual orientation - are treated fairly and in a way that gives them easy access to the healthcare they need.

“We look forward to hearing more from NHS England in coming weeks.”