New Data: Gender Clinic Services in the U.K. are awaiting more than 8,000 teens

New numbers from the United Kingdom’s largest state-funded pediatric gender clinic show thousands of teens waiting in line for services. 

In July 2022, the Tavistock Clinic’s Gender Identity Development Service (GIDS) released referral data According to the report, more than 5,000 adolescents and children sought gender-related care between 2021-2022. Official documents obtained Reuters discovered thousands more minors on a GIDS wait list, capturing a fuller picture about teens looking for medical transitions in the U.K.  

Reuters’ review of the state-funded National Health Service (NHS) documents shows “at least 8,000 young people in England and Wales waiting to receive gender care” As of October 2022.

According to GIDS 5 234 minors sought assistance in the financial year ended March 2022. Between April & October “over 1,000 young people” The clinic stated that 210 patients were referred. This was a 210-member number ten years ago. It indicates that annual referrals for the GIDS Clinic have risen by 2400% in the past decade.

According to Reuters, 7696 children and teens were on the waiting lists for their first appointment at GIDS in July 2022 according to new documents. The number is up 67% from October 2020, when England’s Care Quality Commission (CQC), the NHS watchdog, inspected GIDS and found 4,600 such children on the waiting list.

These numbers are not representative of the whole picture. Minors seeking to block puberty, use cross-sex hormones, or have gender-related procedures outside of state-sponsored clinics like private insurance and private practices, seek out these medications. 

Instead of waiting three years on average, many English teens choose to go private. GenderGP is an online clinic that’s registered in Singapore and operates independently of the NHS. According to GenderGP, 800 youths currently seek their services. This makes up a growing proportion of the U.K. population.

Although GIDS is set to close after an independent review by Dr. Hilary Cass found serious ethical concerns in the clinic’s practice, it is still booking appointments for those at the top of its waiting list until its closure in spring 2023.

The Cass report was followed by the publication of the NHS new guidelines to treat trans-identifing youth. “gender-affirming” Model of care to encourage a more cautious approach. 

The NHS recognizes that transgender children and teens may be suffering from a variety of health issues. “transient phase” , has outlawed the use of hormonal blockers in patients younger than 18 years old. However, exceptions can be made in cases where there are clinically proven contraindications.

The new guidelines “reflect evidence that in most cases gender incongruence does not persist into adolescence” for young children. According to the guidance, doctors should not encourage transition but rather help. “a watchful approach.”

Regional centers will replace GIDS and be able to better serve a rapidly-growing patient population. They will also operate under new treatment guidelines. The waiting list members will be assessed and provided with mental health support, but they will not likely receive medical transition services unless the participant in research.