The NHS has been accused of pandering to political correctness over a proposed ban on terms including “gay”, “prostitute” and “intravenous drug user”, for fear of causing offence.

Doctors and nurses have been ordered to refer to gay patients as “men who have sex with men” (MSM), to avoid stigmatising those who have had same-sex relationships but do not consider themselves homosexual.

A review is now under way into terms referring to other groups of patients including sex workers and drug addicts.

Professor David Goldberg, of National Services Scotland, which is advising health boards on the issue, said patients who have sold sex for money may not consider themselves to be permanently engaged in the sex industry and, therefore, should not be labelled as such.

Similarly, individuals who may have only injected drugs on a handful of occasions may not wish to be known as drug users.

“It’s about using terminology which is more accurate and getting away from labelling people. We should label the behaviour rather than the person because labels can be stigmatising. Behind the label is a human being,” said Professor Goldberg.

However, gay rights groups said the new terminology was “demeaning” to homosexuals and is urging the health service to think again.

“The trouble is that in trying to avoid offending some people, they end up not including everyone else because it relegates same-sex relationships to a mere physical act,” said David Lyle, a chief inspector with Lothian and Borders police and Scottish co-ordinator of the Gay Police Association.

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