Meeting of the Parliament 08 May 2024
Just over two weeks ago, I stood in the chamber to emphasise what is undeniably a fact: that young people who are questioning their gender or accessing gender identity healthcare, and their families and those who love them, must be at the centre of all our discussions about the delivery of that care. I hope that we will all keep them in our hearts and minds during the rest of the debate and, in doing so, remain compassionate, understanding and respectful.
As I said in my statement,
“it is vitally important that the recommendations”
in the Cass review’s final report, which was published in April,
“are carefully considered”.—[Official Report, 23 April 2024; c 14.]
The Scottish Government has consistently welcomed the report’s publication. The review itself was chaired by a past president of the United Kingdom’s Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health—a senior and well-respected clinician. Many of us will have heard her helpful and clear evidence at the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee meeting yesterday, and I recognise the Cass review’s final report as a scientific, evidence-based document.
When Dr Cass was asked yesterday for her key conclusions from the review, she said two things: first, that the evidence base in this specialist field of medicine is weak, and we need to work as collaboratively and broadly as we can to improve that evidence base, and secondly, that children and young people need a broad multidisciplinary approach to their care. I think that all of us in the chamber would agree with those two points.
The Scottish Government has already provided grant funding to the University of Glasgow to carry out research into the long-term health outcomes of people who access gender identity healthcare. That will play a part in improving the evidence base. Person-centred and holistic multidisciplinary care has been at the heart of our chief medical officer’s realistic medicine approach for many years, and our clinicians know how important it is to see the whole person whom they care for.
The final report is detailed and wide ranging. It is important that its recommendations are carefully considered in the context of how services are delivered in NHS Scotland, and to consider what further steps may need to be taken.