- Clinicians reported worries that some patients were referred onto a gender transitioning pathway too quickly.
- Clinicians were discouraged from voicing concerns about children’s welfare to lead safeguarding officer & referring cases where they feared abuse to social services
Newsnight report on the failures of GIDS (NHS gender identity service). Clinicians ignoring NHS guidelines and referring to medical pathway after one meeting/within one hour. Sarah Davidson named.
Wider mental health issues and sexuality not explored. Concerns about immediate medicalisation dismissed.
Homophobia within families widespread. Parents expressing relief their child isn’t gay or lesbian, and implying ‘trans outcome’ would be better for their child.
Young lesbian reports homophobic bullying in family and at school. Sudden desire to transition.
Polly Carmichael overruled recommendations for caution in such cases.
Clinician report: ‘The young person told me and colleagues ‘my Mum wants the hormone more than I do’. Polly Carmichael suggested we refer, even though not clinically indicated.’
Staff concerns over a number of years, raised with GIDS and the Tavistock, were systematically shut down. Such staff viewed as ‘trouble-making and difficult’.
Careers threatened if staff didn’t toe the line. Organisation works to ‘evacuate’ people who aren’t compliant.
Clinician report: ‘I kept saying to her [unnamed], ‘Are we hurting children?’ She did not say no. She was not able to say to me, ‘it’s fine, we are not hurting the children.’
Staff say they were discouraged from seeking advice about potential abuse situations in the children’s lives. Even directly ordered not to raise safeguarding issues by Polly Carmichael.
No comment from safeguarding lead, Sonia Appleby, who has ongoing legal proceedings against the trust.
Nobody from GIDS or Tavistock would be interviewed by Newsnight. Statement from GIDS ‘strongly refutes’ Newsnight allegations.
Thank you to Deborah Cohen @deb_cohen and Hannah Barnes @hannahsbee of the BBC Newsnight for this report.
This synopsis was adapted from a Twitter thread by Dr Emma Hilton aka @FondOfBeetles..
The BBC’s own coverage of this story is here:
