The Government has announced that the existing emergency measures banning the sale and supply of puberty suppressing hormones for the treatment of gender dysphoria or incongruence in under-18s have been made indefinite.

NHS patients who are already receiving these medicines for gender dysphoria or incongruence can continue to access them, as can patients receiving the medicines for other uses.

A targeted support from local NHS mental health services in England is being extended to children and young people whose access to puberty suppressing hormones have been discontinued (for example, prescriptions from non-UK prescribers) and who are not on the waiting list of children's gender services. These children, young people and their families can access this service, by contacting agem.cyp-gnrss@nhs.net or calling 0300 131 6775 and selecting option 3.

Ban on puberty blockers to be made indefinite on experts' advice

The Medicines (Gonadotrophin-Releasing Hormone Analogues) (Emergency Prohibition) (Extension) Order 2024 (legislation.gov.uk)

An email will be sent to the referrer and the parents if the child or young person is under 16. If the young person is 16 or over, they will receive an email as well as the referrer.

There is a form via the website that can be used for any changes to contact details, change of name or NHS number or please let us know by email to agem.cyp-gnrss@nhs.net

A review led by Dr Hilary Cass highlighted that services should be delivered by regional centres, led by specialist children's hospitals with strong links to mental health services. Also due to increased anxiety and distress for children and young people on the waiting list, the referral pathway is now for young people to be referred by CYP mental health or Paedatric Services. This means that support can be accessed more quickly, if needed, as already known to services.

Further information on this can be found at NHS commissioning >> Implementing advice from the Cass Review (england.nhs.uk) and at Cass Review - Independent Review of Gender Identity Services for Children and Young People. (include links already on page).

Unfortunately, we cannot provide individual information on where a young person is on the waiting list. If you have received confirmation of the referral being received, it will be held in referral date order.

Currently the CYP Gender Service in London has more people wanting to be seen there than other services, which is due to where it is and the ease of public transport. As more CYP Gender Services develop across the country, patients can be seen closer to home and information is updated monthly on the website.

Can a child or young person be seen sooner?

Referrals are sent in date order to the CYP Gender Services based on closest to home / preferred choice / mapped geographies [to be determined by NHSE]. Referrals cannot be escalated or prioritised to be sent sooner to a CYP Gender Service. If help is needed for distress or mental wellbeing, please speak to your GP or the referrer to access support.

Further support groups can be found on the page Patients and Parents page of this website, and details on where to get urgent help found on that page along with the Home page in yellow.

If you turn 18 years old before your referral is sent to a CYP Gender Service, you will receive a letter advising you to speak to your GP about whether a referral to an Adult Gender Service is appropriate for you, If you decide that you want to be referred then your GP can make a referral to the adult gender service of your choice. The letter we send to you includes the orginial referral date to the CYP Gender Service waiting list, which can be sent with the referral to the Adult Gender Service and they will honour that date and the time you have already waited.

There is a form on the website called Remove me from the waiting list, which can be used and once received we will write to to parent/carer of the child or young person, if they are under 16, or the young person if over 16 years old to confirm that a request has been made and the referral will be closed after 28 days. Unless we are contacted during the 28 days to say that it was an error then the referral will be closed and a letter sent to confirm this.

What happens if there is a change of mind after the 28 days or longer?

A new referral would need to be made and the referral date will be record as the date of that new referral.

No. Unregulated medicines can have potentially dangerous short and long term side effects; and even prescription drugs can be dangerous unless prescribed by, and managed by, an experienced and appropriately trained healthcare professional.

From June 2024 it is a criminal offence for a pharmacist, doctor or any other individual in Great Britain to sell or supply Puberty Suppressing Hormones to children and young people under the age of 18 except in prescribed circumstances, and for an individual to possess the medications outside of the prescribed exceptions: Ban on puberty blockers to be made indefinite on experts' advice

Gender Affirming Hormones may only be prescribed on the recommendation of a Consultant Paediatric and Adolescent Endocrinologist through the NHS Children and Young People's Gender Service if strict criteria are met, from the age of 16 years, and subject to the recommendation for initiation of the intervention being endorsed by a national MDT that has an independent chair.