AQW 18975/22-27


Ms Connie Egan
Alliance Party
North Down


Tabled Date: 28/11/2024
Answered On Date: 12/12/2024
Priority Written: No


Question:
To ask the Minister of Health for an update on his work to develop a business case to improve access to the Gender Identity Service in tandem with the Gender Identity Review Group and Gender Identity Liaison Panel.


Answer:
My Department has been working together with the Belfast HSC Trust to address the issues of waiting times, resources, and to develop a new model of care for Gender Identity Services for transgender people living in NI.
As part of this process, a Gender Identity Service Pathway Review Group was established and Chaired by the Strategic Planning and Performance Group (SPPG), with membership on the group including, the Public Health Agency, the Patient Client Council, the Royal College of General Practitioners and policy officials from my Department. The work of the Pathway Review Group began in September 2019. There was significant engagement undertaken to help inform the review, notwithstanding the obvious challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
A Gender Identity Liaison Panel, which sits under the main Pathway Review Group, was also established to enable those with lived experience to provide input to the review.
On completion of the review, my officials have continued to work closely and collaboratively with the Belfast HSC Trust, the Gender Identity Review Group and Gender Identity Liaison Group to develop a business case for the first phase of service expansion, which identifies the extra resources required to enhance the capacity of the services to meet the growing demand and includes additionality to address the implications of the Cass Review report. Funding of around £825k will be required recurrently to fund the service development. The business case details the extra medical and nursing resources required, including additional endocrinology provision. General Practitioner shared care arrangements are currently being explored for Phase 2 of this service development.
The business case was submitted for consideration on 4th November 2024. SPPG officials are currently working with the Belfast Trust to clarify a number of issues as part of the approval process. The business case will then be subject to my consideration.