The contract for the gender identity service at the trust will be completed, the NHS said. It said it intended to create a “more resilient service” by expanding provision and would create two services led by specialist children’s hospitals in London and the north west of England. The NHS said it aimed to have them fully operational by spring 2023. It follows recommendations from Dr Hilary Cass, who is leading an independent review of gender identity services for children and young people. He said there is a need to move away from the single provider model and instead create regional services to better meet patient needs. Its interim report found that an increase in referrals to the Gender Identity Development Service (Gids) at Tavistock and Portman NHS in London had resulted in overpaid staff and waiting lists of up to two years. Cass said this leaves young people “at significant risk” of distress and deteriorating mental health. The number of referrals to the service increased from 138 in 2010-11 to 2,383 in 2020-21. Last spring, in a highly critical report on Gids, the Care Quality Commission called for monthly updates on waiting list numbers and action to reduce them.
