Cass review: NI's all-ages gender service working on 'demanding' changes to meet Minister's puberty blocker trial commitment

Northern Ireland’s all-ages gender service is aiming to put in place “rigorous and demanding” changes to meet Mike Nesbitt’s commitment to be part of a controversial UK-wide puberty blocker trial, an expert report has said.

Baroness Cass says “significant staff training, changes in clinical processes, and establishment of the necessary research infrastructure” will be required – if the local transgender clinic is to be part of the trial and wider research into children questioning their gender.

Baroness Hilary Cass conducted a review of Northern Ireland's gender identity services last year, which has now been published by Stormont's health department.

placeholder image — Baroness Hilary Cass conducted a review of Northern Ireland's gender identity services last year, which has now been published by Stormont's health department.

The report was commissioned by the UUP minister after a backlash – including within his own party – over his announcement of funding for a Lifespan service with no lower age limit on referrals.

The Department of Health published Dr Hilary Cass’s report on Tuesday afternoon – saying local officials will now consider the recommendations and work alongside counterparts in England, and Health and Social Care (HSC) service providers in Northern Ireland to implement its recommendations.

The report advises on the measures necessary to achieve compliance with recommendations of the original Cass review into UK services, but says the task of ensuring compliance is achieved rests with the “local managers and clinical leaders within the service”.

A key part of those proposals was a trial of controversial drugs which block normal sexual development in children questioning their sex. The report says the NI service is working on “two levels of compliance” with regard to the original recommendations – including “aligning clinical practice so that standards of care in Northern Ireland are consistent with those in England”.

“The second level of compliance is more rigorous and demanding, and is based on Northern Ireland’s commitment (and the support by the Minister of Health) to be a research site within the Kings College London puberty blocker trial and the wider PATHWAYS research programme”, the report says.

Dr Hilary Cass said: “I commend Minister Nesbitt for the investment he has committed to the Lifespan Service, and in particular, for the benefits it will bring for children and young people with gender incongruence and gender dysphoria”.