SHAME OF THE TRANS MEDICS
Doctors at six out of seven clinics ‘wilfully obstructed’ vital review of gender care
HEALTH bosses must ‘root out’ zealous clinicians who refused to co-operate with a landmark review of child gender services, campaigners urged last night.
It followed an outcry after it emerged six of the seven NHS adult gender services had effectively blocked the Cass review’s research programme, stopping the team from examining the long-term impact of such treatment.
The strength of the criticism has led NHS England to announce it will now launch a wide-reaching review into adult gender services which the Mail understands will serve as a ‘Cass, part two’, encompassing the whole field.
Sources told the Mail that in the light of Dr Hilary Cass’s report, out yesterday, NHS England would take a much tougher approach to clinicians who frustrated attempts to gather evidence.
It is understood NHS England will now order that data on the experiences of trans patients is handed over as part of its own clinical research.
Health Secretary Victoria Atkins met NHS England chief executive Amanda Pritchard, later emphasising ‘nothing less than full cooperation’ was expected.
‘It is completely unacceptable that the University of York has not been able to carry out its research to inform the Cass Review because of the lack of participation from adult gender clinics,’ she said. ‘Nothing less than full co- operation by those clinics in the research is acceptable. I have discussed this issue today with the Chief Executive of NHS England, and fully support NHSE in pursuing this.’
Dr Cass’s report concluded this week that trans children were set on the path to irreversible change despite ‘ remarkably weak evidence’ to support medical treatshe ment. An exchange of letters, released alongside the 388-page report, between Dr Cass and NHS directors revealed clinicians had sought to sabotage her work.
In a letter to NHS England’s head of specialised commissioning, Dr Cass said it was ‘hugely disappointing that the NHS gender services have decided not to participate with this research’.
‘I am frustrated on behalf of the young people and their families that the opportunity to reduce some of the uncertainties around care options has not been taken,’ added. The research had aimed to track the journeys of around 9,000 young people through the Gender Identity Development Service at the Tavistock Clinic – the only children’s service at that point – through to the seven adult gender clinics based around England.
But they found themselves thwarted by clinicians who were ‘co-ordinated’ and seemed ‘ideologically-driven’, Dr Cass said.
Dr Cass’s remarks prompted campaigners to call on the Government to take decisive action to make sure the review was followed through.
Kate Barker of the LGB Alliance, said: ‘If the NHS refuses to root out activist, ideologically-captured clinicians, then the Government must take direct action to ensure best practice is followed everywhere. It is deeply troubling that attempts to gather evidence for The Cass Review have been deliberately blocked. All of its recommendations are at risk whilst institutions remain captured by zealous, anti-science proponents of gender identity ideology.’
Professor Michael Biggs, board member of charity Sex Matters, said: ‘It is disgraceful that gender clinicians employed by the NHS wilfully obstructed Hilary Cass’s attempt to undertake research.
‘When Dr Cass commissioned independent researchers to study outcomes for young people who had been subjected to endocrinological and surgical interventions, the gender clinicians refused to give the researchers access to patient records. What are they hiding?
‘It is a dereliction of duty. This information is needed by clinicians, the general public and most importantly, future patients and their families.’ And Dr Louise Irvine, GP and co-director of the Clinical Advisory Network on Sex and Gender, added: ‘NHS England must launch the same Cassstyle review into adult gender clinics to root out practices not based on evidence and ensure safe holistic evidence-based care.’
Ministers yesterday condemned abuse Dr Cass had suffered after engaging with groups across the spectrum of the trans debate. One of the key themes of her report was that ‘the toxicity of the debate is exceptional’ and had left professionals in fear of speaking out.
Health minister Maria Caulfield warned private clinics prescribing puberty blockers and hormones to children must fall into line. She said: ‘It is unacceptable Dr Cass faced abuse carrying out this important review which is ultimately designed to protect vulnerable children and adults. We expect private providers to follow suit by taking into account the recommendations of the Cass Review.’
Labour’s shadow health minister Wes Streeting was caught in a row in his own party after he told The Sun’s Never Mind the Ballots programme that Dr Cass’s report ‘does raise some serious concerns that are pretty scandalous’.
He told NHS trusts that refuse to co- operate ‘that you’re not going to get away with it’ under a Labour government. His comments were attacked by Labouraligned groups, the hard-Left Momentum faction, and Labour For Trans Rights. Dr Cass’s report made 32 recommendations for the future of gender identity services for children in England.
‘What are they hiding?’
‘I’m pretty angry, actually’
ONE of the many shocking revelations in the Cass report on NHS gender services for under-18s was that six of seven adult gender dysphoria clinics across the country refused to provide information to the review panel.
Some 9,000 patients were referred from child to adult treatment centres over the years. With so little research material on long- term outcomes, details of their progress could shed light on the lasting effects of these controversial therapies.
Dr Hilary Cass was damning in her criticisms, saying the steep rise in gender reassignment was driven more by ideology than science. Data available to doctors about the impacts of puberty blockers and sex- change hormones was ‘ wholly inadequate’, she said.
Could it be these clinics have something to hide about the damage being done to young bodies and minds? If not, why are they being so obstructive?
The NHS yesterday announced a wider review of all transgender treatment. All seven clinics must be made to cooperate. Data may be anonymised but if a full picture is to emerge of this sorry saga, their files must be opened to proper scrutiny.