Published: 2024-01-20 by, News Team

Youth Gender Clinic Approved by UK Regulators

The Gender Plus Hormone Clinic, a private facility catering to transgender youth, has achieved a significant milestone by becoming the first in the UK to receive approval from the Care Quality Commission (CQC), England’s health watchdog. The clinic is now authorized to prescribe hormones for individuals aged 16 and above. This development comes amid the imminent closure of the sole NHS gender-identity service for children in England and Wales, with replacement services slated to open this spring.

Current challenges within the NHS result in a prolonged waiting period of five years for young people exploring their gender identity to secure an initial appointment. Gender Plus, as part of its private services, provides psychological support for those questioning their gender identity for a fee.

The CQC, ensuring services meet safety and quality standards, grants approval after thorough assessments of new facilities, evaluating their safety, effectiveness, caring approach, responsiveness, and leadership. Gender Plus, operating in London, Birmingham, and Dublin, can now prescribe hormones to individuals over 16 who undergo assessment by a team of clinical psychologists through a minimum of six sessions. Not all patients are deemed suitable for hormonal treatment, and the clinic refrains from prescribing puberty-blocking interventions.

While cross-sex hormones can help alter physical characteristics and alleviate distress related to gender incongruence, the NHS cautions about potential long-term side effects and the possibility of permanent infertility.

The controversy surrounding care for children and young people grappling with gender identity has intensified, notably with the Gender Identity Development Service (Gids), a part of the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust, receiving an "inadequate" rating from the CQC and scheduled for closure in March. Gender Plus, led by clinicians formerly associated with Gids, emphasizes a commitment to providing high-standard care, with a focus on individualized support accounting for gender, neurodiversity, sexual orientation, and mental health.

In April, new NHS clinics are slated to open in the south of England, with another planned for the north-west in the autumn, anticipating over 3,000 referrals annually.

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