Dr David Mackereth, who has worked for the NHS for 26 years, was set to become a disability assessor for the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

But he was deemed ‘unfit to work’ after he said he would refer to patients according to their biological sex.

Dr Mackereth had started training for the new role in May, but in his training he was told that all reports must refer to a patient or client by the gender they ‘identify’ as.

God made us male or female

He explained: ‘I said that I had a problem with this. I believe that gender is defined by biology and genetics, and that as a Christian the Bible teaches us that God made humans male or female.’ APM, the agency employing him, said the DWP required him to use a person’s preferred pronoun, and that refusal could be considered harassment under the Equality Act 2010.

Dr Mackereth could not agree to the demands ‘in good conscience’. His contract was then terminated.

He said he was not attacking the trans-gender movement, but that the move impinged on his freedom of speech.

Concerned for others

The doctor is also concerned that other ‘professional people of faith’ could lose their jobs over holding ‘centuries-old’ views about the distinctions between males and females.

Dr Mackereth did not think he should be ‘compelled to use a specific pronoun’.