Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to provide young people and their families with access to targeted mental health support while their care is under review after the ruling on the prescription of puberty blockers in the Bell v Tavistock case.

The Gender Identity Development Service (GIDS) is primarily a psycho-social service providing extensive support to children and young people facing issues pertaining to the development of their gender identity. NHS England are working closely with the GIDS to ensure they continue to have the capacity to offer mental health support for those affected by the ruling.

NHS England has reassured the families of children who are currently receiving puberty blockers that there are no plans to immediately withdraw any individual from their current treatment plan. A clinical review will be held for every such individual and, if the clinical recommendation is that the individual remain on puberty blockers, an application of ‘best interest’ will be made to the Court.