Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking to help support 17-year-olds on the waiting list for gender identity services who have had their appointments with adult services cancelled and are not eligible for young people’s services.

NHS England has asked adult gender clinics to delay offering first appointments to young people until they have reached their 18th birthday, in response to the findings of the Cass Review, and advised that clinicians should exercise extreme caution before initiating medical interventions for young people below the age of 18 years old.

The number of individuals affected is likely to be very small, and Gender Dysphoria Clinics are commissioned to provide support to individuals while they are on the waiting list, for example through the use of outreach support staff. NHS England also announced that it is bringing forward its review of the adult service specifications.