Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of access to hormone replacement therapy prescriptions through GPs for trans patients; and what steps he is taking to support trans patients' access to hormone replacement therapy prescriptions through GPs.

NHS England is currently carrying out a review of adult gender services which will look at how to overcome the challenges that some individuals face in accessing a timely prescription.

NHS England has more than doubled investment in gender dysphoria services, increasing the number of adult Gender Dysphoria Clinics in England from seven to 12 since July 2020, with the rollout of five new adult gender pilot clinics. This will help tackle long waiting times, which have increased due to a shortage of specialist clinical staff to meet the rapidly rising demand.

To support general practitioners (GPs) in prescribing for adults with gender dysphoria, these pilot clinics are led by primary care and staffed by specialist GPs who are available to provide quick and effective support to colleagues.

The Royal College of General Practitioners’ position statement on the role of the GP in transgender healthcare sets out that GPs should liaise and work with Gender Identity Clinics in the same way as with any other specialist. This includes consideration of prescribing under a shared care agreement.