Health minister tells predecessor Edwin Poots officials are 'compiling a timeline' over controversial trans clinic
Stormont’s health minister has ordered officials to compile a timeline of how Northern Ireland’s controversial trans clinic for children was established – and what ministers were told about it, going as far back as 2007.
Mike Nesbitt’s move comes after one of his predecessors – the DUP’s Edwin Poots – called on the Department of Health (DoH) to “clarify” that it was “established without ministerial approval”.
There is a growing row over how the service came about, amid a lack of clarity on key points – such as when the service was opened to children of any age.
Mr Poots was health minister in 2014 when the Knowing Our Identity children’s service was commissioned – but says he was “never briefed, had sight of, or [gave] approval” for it.
He was responding to a statement issued by the DoH which said the service was commissioned “by the then Health and Social Care Board … in August 2014 when Edwin Poots was Minister of Health”.
Mr Nesbitt has now responded to say that his staff are working to establish the facts around the matter.
In a statement to the News Letter, the health minister said: “I acknowledge Edwin’s request. I have asked officials to compile a timeline of all policy, funding and service development decisions in relation to gender identity services taken since devolution retuned in 2007.
“This will include a summary of any reports, updates and submissions made to ministers.”
On Friday, Mr Poots said on social media: “As the former Health Minister, I can confirm that I was never briefed, had sight of, or give approval for the Gender Identity Service.
“I call on the Department of Health to clarify that the Gender Identity Service was established without Ministerial approval.”
The row was sparked by a decision by Mr Nesbitt last month to fund an expanded gender identity clinic to the tune of £806,000 – following a recommendation by the Cass Review that the services should get extra investment.
However, the decision has prompted a row within his own party, with some UUP MLAs furious over the fact there is no lower age limit on referrals.
Two former leaders publicly have publicly broken ranks on the matter. Steve Aiken said he opposes the plans – and that they should be rescinded – while Doug Beattie has described it as “madness” that young children are being referred to the gender service.
On social media, Mr Beattie quoted a News Letter story on five-year-olds having attended the clinic. Posting on X, the UUP MLA said: “5 year olds believe in Santa clause [sic], the Easter bunny ... why on earth would GPs refer them & Belfast trust accept them in gender clinic. Madness.”
The UUP press office has yet to say whether the plans are in line with party policy. None of its MLAs, peers or the party’s sole MP expressed support for their leader’s move when asked about it by the News Letter individually.
The DUP has also expressed strong opposition to the move. Last week, Communities Minister Gordon Lyons wrote to the health minister raising “serious concerns” over the plans – and questioning whether the service will be in line with recommendations from the Cass Review.
That report stated that the existing evidence for both medical and other interventions is weak, and that clinicians could not be certain which children and young people would persist with a trans identity in adulthood – and for most, a medical pathway would not be the most appropriate.
Its recommendations included a regional network of centres to provide continuity of care for 17–25 year olds as well as extra resourcing.
The DUP has also said that the issue was not brought before the executive and therefore was not signed off by other ministers.
However, the DoH argues that it is not a new service and that “nothing has changed in terms of criteria from the model of care that has been in place for many years and spanning several ministers of health”.
News of the additional funding for the service was broken in a press release by LGBTQ+ charity The Rainbow Project. In response to questions, Mr Nesbitt said he is “committed to improving wider gender identity service provision for children, young people and adults in Northern Ireland”.
He said an additional £806,000 in funding will “increase capacity within the service to allow the trust to address waiting times and ensure that patients receive the appropriate care they need in a timely way”.
Concerns have also been raised about whether children’s ‘trans identity’ will be affirmed, or explored neutrally by the service.
In recent years, children as young as fivehave been referred to the clinic.