Leaked emails reveal child gender service concerns

Hospital executives voiced worry about the cancellation of appointments, patients lacking information and poor communication with the new services. The controversial Gender Identity Development Service (Gids), which is run by the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust, is due to close later this week. NHS England insisted patients would have “continuity of care. The sole NHS gender identity service for children in England and Wales will close in 2020.

It will be replaced by two new regional hubs; a London-based southern hub and a north of England hub. Staff at the existing service say they have been unable to answer basic questions from patients about the future of their care. NHS England says it has organised a meeting between the new and old teams. BBC understands that meeting only took place weeks before the closure of Gids.

BBC News has also been given a dossier of internal emails - sent between February last year and this month. Several sources said they had been asking for months for NHS England to help set up channels of communication. Dr Holland replied: “We are in dialogue with [NHS England] on these very points as we are extremely worried that we need clarity. 34: The situation is now having a significant impact on the safety and well-being of the families we are supporting.

Patients and their families have received letters explaining that oversight of their care will transfer from Gids to the new service. Many say they still do not have basic information, such as names or contact details of the doctors taking over their children’s care. Instead, the letters advise that those with urgent concerns or queries should contact their GP or local mental health crisis teams. NHS recently said the drugs would no longer be routinely prescribed for gender-distressed children.

But sources say they fear the part of the new service that gives psychological support to children still taking those drugs will not be fully operational. Job adverts for senior roles in Nottinghamshire only closed to applicants last week, days before Gids is due to shut. The closure of Gids followed an independent review by Dr Hilary Cass. It said the new service would open on 2 April but would not provide details on when they will be able to see patients.

All patients waiting will be offered a local mental health assessment if they want it.