Further to the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership's statement on a gender service in Wales during Plenary in June 2022, what has the Welsh Government learned from the Cass review and closure of the Tavistock clinic?
Following the announcement that NHS England will cease contracting with the Tavistock and Portman service, the Welsh Health Specialised Services Committee (WHSSC) is working closely with NHS England to ensure Welsh children and young people have access to the regional centres in England.
The current priority is to manage the clinical risk associated with young people on the waiting list and those already under the care of the GID service.
The interim report published by the Cass team informed the NHS England interim specification for services for children and young people with gender dysphoria. The consultation closed on 4 December and once agreed, the interim specification will be operational whilst a new services specification is developed in 2023/24. As part of this work, NHS England is also planning an engagement process and Welsh patients will be included as part of that plan. We will ensure that young people are engaged in the development of any future plans, including exploring the development a clinical model for Wales.
The WHSSC continue to engage with the Cass review team and NHS England as this work continues. We remain committed to improve gender identity services for young people in Wales.