Meeting of the Parliament 08 May 2024
We have to be aware that the Cass review was a review of services and treatment pathways in NHS England that differ from those in Scotland. As many members have said in the chamber previously, not all the recommendations will be applicable to Scotland and some might be irrelevant, given that the analysis was of a different health service. That is why I believe that the debate is premature at best. For those recommendations that might be relevant, there are choices to be made about whether they require action. Any changes that are made should also include input from trans young people who have been through the service, those who are on waiting lists and their families.
Many have hailed the report as the end of gender-affirming care, but Dr Cass confirmed at the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee yesterday that puberty blockers and hormones are the correct way forward for some children and young people who are seeking gender identity care. It is important that, in providing gender-affirming care, we are clear that medical transition might not be the correct course of action for everyone and that timeframes for transition differ between people. We absolutely have to ensure that services are improved, both in terms of the pathways and the current models of care, and by tackling long waits.