Scottish gender clinic will stop using puberty drugs
SCOTLAND’S gender clinic has ‘paused’ the prescribing of puberty blockers after ‘days of shameful silence and dithering’ from the Scottish Government.
The Sandyford clinic in Glasgow said no prescriptions would be issued to new patients and under-18s would not get other gender hormone treatments.
The U-turn comes after a review of gender services for children in England found there was ‘not enough evidence’ puberty blockers are safe or effective.
The findings by Dr Hilary Cass piled pressure on the NHS in Scotland to scrap the controversial practice of giving such drugs to gender-questioning children.
The Sandyford is the national gender clinic for under-18s. From there, patients are referred to endocrinology clinics in children’s hospitals in Edinburgh or Glasgow.
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC), which runs the Sandyford, and NHS Lothian said they had decided in mid-March to ‘defer’ putting new patients on hormone suppressants, following the same move by NHS England.
Scottish Conservative deputy leader
Meghan Gallacher said: ‘The SNP Government have been dragged kicking and screaming towards taking the necessary action to safeguard vulnerable youngsters after days of shameful silence and dithering.’
First Minister Humza Yousaf had said he did not believe there was a case to shut the Sandyford, despite the closure of the similar Tavistock facility in London.
Puberty blockers allow children with gender dysphoria time to think about whether they want to transition. Youngsters can self-refer to the Sandyford or go through their GP. At the end of last year 1,100 patients were on its waiting list.
The clinic has also paused referrals for ‘gender affirming’ hormones such as testosterone and oestrogen for under-18s. The Sandyford said there would be ‘no change’ for those already being prescribed drugs and it would continue to see new patients and give ‘psychological support’.
Health Secretary Neil Gray said: ‘We have been clear it is for clinicians and health boards to make decisions about clinical pathways, and these decisions should be made carefully and based on the best evidence available.
He said the Cass Review’s findings were being closely considered by the Scottish Government and health boards.
Dr Emilia Crighton, director of public health at NHSGGC, said: ‘The next step is to work with the Scottish Government and academic partners to generate evidence that enables us to deliver safe care for our patients.
‘We echo the views of Dr Hilary Cass that toxicity around public debate is impacting the lives of young people seeking the care of our service and does not serve the teams working hard to care for and support them.’
Scottish Trans manager Vic Valentine said: ‘We want every child or young person to get the individualised care that’s right for them at the time that’s right for them. We don’t think this decision will make that possible.’
Scottish Labour deputy leader Jackie Baillie urged the government to lay out treatment changes to be made in the wake of the Cass Review.
The announcement on puberty blockers prompted the LGBT wing of the Scottish Greens to call for an emergency general meeting to discuss the future of the party’s power-sharing agreement with the SNP.
Rainbow Greens co-convener Jen Bell said the clinic’s decision broke promises in the Bute House Agreement on ‘putting trans patients at the heart of decisions on their own healthcare’ and warned ‘Greens in government would do well to take heed’.