Court verdict on puberty blockers won’t affect young people in Scotland
The only clinic in Scotland that can prescribe puberty blockers to children with gender dysphoria will not change its protocols in the wake of a landmark court judgement in England that ruled children under 16 were not mature enough to give informed consent.
The Sandy ford Sexual Health Clinic, part of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, is the only Scottish gender service for young people and has seen referrals rise significantly in recent years.
However, it has said it will not be reviewing its services for children after the successful legal challenge of Keira Bell against the Tavistock and Portman NHS trust in London.
Ms Bell, a 23- year-old woman, began taking puberty blockers when she was 16, before moving onto cross-hormone drugs including testosterone and ultimately surgery, before she de transitioned. Ms Bell claimed she was not able to give prop er consent to the treatment at such a young age and was not offered any psychological help by the clinic before being put on a drug regime.
An unnamed mother of a 15-year- old autistic girl who is on the waiting list for treatment was also involved in the case against the clinic.
On Tuesday, the High Court in London ruled that children under 16 considering gender re assignment are unlikely to be mature enough to give informed consent to be pre - scribed puberty-blocking medication. The judges also ruled that in cases involving teenagers under 18, doctors may need to consult the courts for authorisation for medical intervention.
As a result of the judgement, the Tavistock clinic immediately suspended new referrals for puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones for under16 s, and launched a wider review on the future of gender identity services.
Until 2011, puberty blockers were only available at its Gender Identity Development Service for those aged 16 or older. Last year, of 161 children referred, three were aged ten or 11 and 95 were under 16.
A spokesperson for NHS Glasgow and Greater Clyde said: “Young people are considered for puberty blockers following at ho rough psychological and endocrine assessment… Anyone who commences puberty blockers continues to receive regular psychological review and support appointments.”