The Health Service Executive (HSE) has announced they will be analysing a new flagship report on gender healthcare for children in the United Kingdom during their planning process for a revised clinical practice within gender healthcare services in Ireland.
The report, penned by Dr Hilary Cass and dubbed the Cass Review, was made public last Wednesday. The report revealed that due to the NHS providing therapies not yet scientifically proven and the “toxicity” of the discourse around transgender issues, multiple children questioning their gender have not received the necessary support. The HSE also made a public statement on the same day confirming that the development of an updated clinical care model for gender healthcare will be guided by top-quality evidence regarding care for individuals experiencing dysphoria or gender incongruency.
The establishment remarked that this work will incorporate a comprehensive review of “emerging and evolving international evidence”, inclusive of the study conducted by Dr Cass.
As this revised model of practice is being cultivated, individuals who express gender dysphoria or incongruence will continue to be given support within community care structures, and receive services from the endocrinology departments at adult and paediatric institutions such as the Ireland East Hospital Group and Children’s Health Ireland, according to the HSE.
The organisation also confirmed that less than 10 patients at Children’s Hospital Ireland are currently on puberty blockers.
Dr Hilary Cass’s review highlighted that the only NHS gender identity service in the UK employed puberty suppressors and cross-sex hormones to alter physical appearance towards a more masculine or feminine look. This was despite the evidence supporting these treatments as beneficial for the mental health of youth being “remarkably weak” and possible health risks associated with these treatments.
Dr Cass, a leading paediatrician consultant, emphasised that the intent behind her report’s findings was not to question the legitimacy of transgender identities or contest the right for individuals to transition, but to better support the rising number of children and young people wrestling with gender-related issues. She explained that the ongoing, polarised public discourse about these topics made delivering this type of care more challenging, as differing viewpoints repeatedly cited research, regardless of its quality, to uphold their stance.
In 2020, due to escalating concerns over the provided care by the Tavistock and Portman NHS trust’s gender identity developmental services (GIDS), NHS England ordered the Cass inquiry. Over a span of 11 years – from 2009 to 2020 – GIDS treated approximately 9,000 minors with the average age of referral being 14.
The investigation concluded with NHS’s decision to shut down GIDS and prohibit puberty blockers, pivoting towards a new, integrated healthcare model. This new paradigm involves the provision of psychological support rather than clinical interference for youths grappling with gender identity concerns.
The Irish LGBTQ+ charity, Belong To, stated its intention to scrutinise the Cass Review to enhance their comprehension of transgender youth care. It contended that Ireland has a chance to comprehend the findings of the UK’s Cass Review and imitate international best practice concepts for creating a reliable healthcare system for young transgender people.
Speaking on behalf of the youth and their families, the charity expressed how the struggle to access healthcare is akin to fighting against a closed door. Presently, Ireland does not have any health service catering to young trans people, a situation that must be immediately addressed. Therefore, crucial care, resources, and information must be readily accessible to assist these youths and their families in making the right decisions for themselves, the spokesperson added. The Guardian reported the additional information.