Staff ’s fears for children at gender clinic were ‘shut down’
STAFF at england’s only NhS gender clinic say concerns about patient welfare were ‘shut down’ leading to vulnerable children facing a ‘lifetime of damage’, it was claimed last night.
They raised fears that some patients attending the service at the Tavistock and Portman NhS Foundation Trust in London were being referred on to a gender transitioning pathway too quickly, the BBC’s Newsnight reported.
Damning claims from leaked transcripts of staff interviews from a review of the service include cases where staff feared a child had suffered sexual abuse or trauma but were discouraged from referring them to social services, the programme said last night.
It also highlighted claims of homophobic attitudes among parents of children attending Gender Identity
Development Service (GIDS), with some allegedly appearing to prefer their children to be transgender and straight, rather than gay.
The claims around the clinic come days after JK Rowling expressed her concern over ‘the huge explosion in young women wishing to transition’.
Campaigners say children as young as 12 should not be given powerful ‘puberty blocker’ drugs because they are too young weigh up the impact of such a momentous decision. NhS england is conducting a review of its policies on the use of puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones.
The trust said it ‘strongly refuted’ the Newsnight claims, insisting the clinic offers a ‘safe and caring service’ and stressing that only a minority of patients go on to physical intervention.
A review into the clinic was published last spring after concerns about children’s welfare were raised by staff in an internal report. According to Newsnight, in one of the leaked transcripts a staff member expresses fears that ‘very many vulnerable children have been very poorly treated and will be left with, potentially, a lifetime of damage’.
Newsnight claims that in some cases, clinicians thought it wouldn’t be appropriate for a patient to be referred for puberty blockers, but that staff could be overruled.
In addition, one senior figure would allegedly sometimes refer children for puberty blocker treatment after one or two appointments, rather than the minimum of three recommended by NhS england.
Other concerns relate to an alleged culture of being cautious about talking to the clinic’s safeguarding team. According to Newsnight, one staff member told it the approach seemed ‘unsafe’, adding that this could by why ‘more than 40 clinicians decided to leave… within three years’.
In the transcripts, clinicians claim their concerns were ‘shut down’.
The Tavistock and Portman NhS Trust said it was proud of the care it delivered. It said: ‘GIDS supports a wide range of children and young people grappling with distress about their gender identity.
‘The Trust stands by its 2019 review of the service. We … strongly refute the allegations put to us by Newsnight. Safeguarding is of the utmost importance to the Trust. In August 2018 a safeguarding lead was created specifically for GIDS.’
It said ‘clinical scenarios including safeguarding issues’ were addressed in the review’s recommendations.
‘Only a minority [of patients] are referred on … for consideration for hormone blocking drugs and, of those who are, there is no automatic progression to cross-sex hormones. Patients who start on blockers may come off [them]. The Trust is committed to maximum transparency.’
Former patient Keira Bell, 23 is bringing a legal claim against the clinic, alleging children are being given life-changing therapy while too young to give informed consent. The case is due to be heard in October.
‘A lifetime of damage’