Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether, within the last ten years, they have sought to require (1) the Tavistock Clinic, or (2) related NHS institutions which have treated gender dysphoric related conditions, to provide data linkage information; and whether they intend to do so in the future.

The Data Linkage Study is a retrospective study based on an analysis of data collected historically for a cohort of adults who, as children, were cared for under a former model of National Health Service gender care, the Gender Identity Development Service (GIDS). This study requires no active patient participation and instead relies on an analysis of the available digital information held within health records and other nationally held databases. The analysis looks for potential linkages or associations that do not prove ‘cause and effect’ but nonetheless may provide useful insights on the experience and outcomes of former GIDS patients.

The study was planned to take place during the lifespan of the Independent Cass Review and a statutory instrument was brought forward in 2022 aiming to protect those disclosing protected information. It is well documented that some NHS adult Gender Dysphoria Clinics did not send data to allow the study to commence and the study was not completed.

NHS England is now responsible for delivery of the Data Linkage Study. NHS England has taken time to undertake due diligence work on the data sources critical to the study, and to work with organisations to refine the planned approach to data sharing. Study approvals are currently in progress. As with usual research practice, the data linkage study protocol will be made available in the public domain once independent research and ethical approvals have been appropriately secured, at which point the analytical work can begin.