UK Has Most “Painstaking, Cautious” Treatment of Trans Children in World
In an interview with the BBC, Dr Bernadette Wren, head of psychology at NHS England’s gender identity development service (Gids), has said that the UK has some of “the most cautious, painstaking and thoughtful”services for trans children in the world.
Wren said most young patients have to wait two years between being referred to by a GP and seeing a gender-identity specialist. While in some parts of the UK, patients have been waiting for over three years to have their first appointment at a Gender Identity Clinic.
Dr Polly Carmichael, consultant clinical psychologist, director of Gids and Wren’s colleague, has said trans children needed to be treated with care and “help from all sides” as most dealing with gender-identity issues will also probably have mental-health problems.
“We think about all the needs of young people and try and work closely with local services to clearly manage risk around self-harm, and other difficulties, but also to raise awareness around gender issues,” she said.
“I think there is sometimes a danger there can be a split – if someone is presenting with issues around their gender identity, that local services perhaps think that’s going to be the answer to everything.
“Whereas in reality it’s a complicated picture that needs to be addressed from all sides.”
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