Therese Coffey: Sheffield health workers getting ‘super patronising advice’ on issues including use of commas

New Health Secretary Therese Coffey has been criticised after her office issued guidance telling workers to "be positive" and avoid using policy "jargon".

An email, understood to have been sent to staff at the Department of Health and Social Care and sent on to workers at the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), is reported to have told them to told to avoid using "Oxford commas" - the final comma used in a list of things.

The Financial Times (FT), which first reported the story, said the document was titled "New secretary of state ways of working preferences".

It asked employees to "be precise" and "be positive - if we have done something good, let us say so and avoid double negatives", the FT said.

One UKHSA employee told the FT that the email was "super patronising" and added: "The idea that we have to frame issues positively indicates a person who doesn't want to deal with problems, so that's not encouraging."

Ms Coffey also came under fire for the email on Twitter from NHS staff and patients.

Therese Coffey criticised over ‘Oxford comma’ guidance

In the past, she has shared her hatred of the Oxford comma on Twitter, describing it in 2015 as one of her "pet hates".

"I abhor the Oxford comma and refuse to use it," the MP wrote.

She said she was "delighted" to learn that the Oxford University Press was reducing its use in 2011, adding: "I cannot bear it and constantly remove it. Rant over."

According to Government sources, it is not unusual for ministerial teams to set out ways of working for staff when new ministers are appointed.

They said the Government has "set out a broad guide for staff to help provide an efficient service to the public and deliver better outcomes to patients".

A UKHSA spokesman said of the document: "UKHSA does not comment on leaked emails or briefings.

They added: “We value enormously all of our hard-working colleagues who work tirelessly to make our nation's health secure."

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