Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the procurement of the new NHS England Gender Identity Services for Adults will have adequate capacity to ensure that the NHS 18-week first referral to treatment target will be met.

The outcome of the procurement for Gender Dysphoria Services for Adults (Non-Surgical Interventions) is not yet complete, and decisions about contract award have not been notified to bidders.

In light of the substantial increase in demand for these services, the historical model for service delivery within designated Gender Dysphoria Clinics will not be able to address the need.

To meet this need, new and innovative service models are being piloted by NHS England in primary care, sexual health services, and other local health settings across England to increase clinical capacity and improve patient access. This is supported by a new Gender Identity Healthcare Credential Programme to build the clinical workforce to deliver care.

The Gender Identity Healthcare Credential offers the first accredited qualification of its type in the United Kingdom. It has been developed by the Royal College of Physicians with funding from NHS England. The programme has been created to support the development of gender dysphoria health services by suitably trained health professionals. It is an interprofessional programme, focused on the next generation of clinical leaders. This will enable the NHS to meet the workforce needs and allow the delivery of increased gender dysphoria healthcare.