NHS staff urged not to use the phrases 'break wind' or 'pass gas'

NHS staff have been asked not to use the phrases 'breaking wind' or 'passing gas'.

Instead, they should simply say “fart” and “burp.”

The AZ of NHS Health Writing, which appears on its national website, states: “People understand 'fart' better.”

The guide urges doctors to use the words “pee” and “urine” but avoid “wee,” which “may confuse people using voice technologies or screen readers.”

Other bizarre changes include a ban on saying “homeless” or “homeless.”

Staff should talk about “people experiencing homelessness” instead. “Suffering from an illness” should be discarded in favor of “people who have or are living with a disability or condition.”

References to gender and the LGBTQ+ community should be carefully worded, the report says.

The guideline is intended for use in manuals and brochures and in communication with patients.