Trans health service ‘dismayed’ at NHS banning hormones for 16 and 17-year-olds

The UK’s only regulated transgender healthcare provider has said it is “dismayed” by NHS England’s decision to block new hormone prescriptions for trans teenagers.

16 and 17-year-olds are no longer able to access medication that several medical institutions have dubbed ‘life-saving’ after the public health service claimed evidence of its benefits remain “really weak.”

According to a BBC report, NHS England blocked new referrals after commissioning ten independent reviews into the benefits and drawbacks of under-18s using gender-affirming hormones such as testosterone or oestrogen.

The decision came in response to recommendations brought by Dr Hilary Cass as part of her controversial four-year review into the healthcare provision for trans young people, published in April 2024.

Clinicians have reportedly been instructed to review prescriptions for under-18s who are already taking masculinising or feminising hormones. It is unclear what these reviews will entail.

NHS England’s decision contradicts ‘every reputable expert body’, Gender Plus argue

In a statement to PinkNews, a spokesperson for Gender Plus, a leading private trans healthcare and education service in the UK, objected to the decision, arguing that it contradicts “every reputable expert body” in trans healthcare.

“We at Gender Plus are dismayed by NHS England’s decision to stop new prescriptions of gender-affirming hormones (GAH) to under-18s,” the senior leadership team said.

“At Gender Plus Hormone Clinic (GPHC) – the only CQC Outstanding registered provider of care to transgender people from the age of 16 – we prescribe these medications where indicated following a rigorous process, in line with international best practice and guidance.”

The private service pointed to guidance issued by the Endocrine Society, a leading expert body in the field of trans healthcare, which recommends introducing the hormones in adolescence once “persistence of gender incongruence has been confirmed and the young person has sufficient capacity to consent.”

Gender Plus accused NHS England of ignoring clinical recommendations and evidence provided by leading bodies and experts.

“NHS England’s interpretation of the evidence is in contrast to every reputable expert body in the field of transgender healthcare,” they added. “As such, we will assess their policy document and evidence-based review to better understand how they arrived at this decision. Gender Plus continues to adhere to international best practice.”

Young people’s ability to make their own healthcare decisions has been repeatedly used by trans-exclusionary and right-wing activists to strip away more rights from the trans community, including under-18s.

Under the Gillick Competence and Fraser guidelines, young people have the capacity to make their own healthcare decisions so long as they meet certain criteria.

Gender Plus’ director, Dr Aidan Kelly, told PinkNews last year that a ban on private hormone prescriptions would create a ‘lost generation’ of trans young people.

He warned that, without an ability to access medication, trans teenagers would be forced to self-medicate – the act of taking hormone medication with no medical oversight.

NHS England’s national medical director for specialised services, Professor James Palmer, said NHS England is taking “extreme caution” in its policy on new prescriptions for trans young people, describing it as an “exceptionally thorough and complex” issue.

He said that the health service had “established that the available evidence does not support the continued use of masculinising or feminising hormones” for trans teenagers.

Officials said they hope that the consultations will allow NHS England to see if any evidence had been missed. A 90-day public consultation on the revised policy and review findings will start on Monday.

Share your story! Do you have an important, exciting or uplifting story to tell? Email us at [email protected]