UK Edition
Transgender children will be banned from getting a new NHS record following an intervention by Wes Streeting.
The health service has been ordered to stop issuing new NHS numbers to under-18s who want to change their gender, following a damning independent review.
Until now, children of any age have been allowed to request a gender change on their medical record at any time.
This involves the issuing of a new NHS number and medical record to change the gender marker.
The review, conducted by Alice Sullivan at the Social Research Institute at University College London, highlighted serious concerns about this practice because it means data on biological sex can be lost, creating safeguarding and clinical care risks.
Mr Streeting, the Health Secretary, declared that “children’s safety must come first” as he confirmed the changes on Thursday.
He said: “It’s completely wrong that children’s NHS numbers can be changed if they change gender, and I’ve made it clear this must not happen.
“We must deliver safe and holistic care for both adults and children when it comes to gender, and that also means accurately recording biological sex – not just for research and insight, but also for patient safety.
“I have always made it clear that doing so does not stop us from recording, recognising and respecting people’s gender identity where these differ.
“As we reform gender identity services across the board, we’ll take forward the serious research this review highlights.”
‘Clear clinical risks’
Mr Streeting has demanded that new applications for NHS number changes, and those currently in process, be suspended as of Thursday for those aged under 18 who want to change gender.
The Department for Health and Social Care is understood to be concerned about the impact of number changes on vital research that follows people who have already transitioned.
Among the cases highlighted by Ms Sullivan was a serious safeguarding breach where a baby that was only three weeks old had its NHS number and gender changed.
Her final report said that the health service should “urgently” stop issuing self-identified trans people with new NHS numbers attached to their new gender.
She said this was because the practice led to “clear clinical risks”, such as patients not being called up for cervical smear tests or prostate examinations.
Ms Sullivan noted the misinterpretation of lab results could have “potentially fatal consequences for trans people”.
Sex and gender have also been recorded in an inconsistent way, as well as being conflated, across other public bodies, with some official surveys removing the sex category altogether.
Sir Keir Starmer has changed his mind on gender identity in recent years
As recently as 2023 he said that “99.9 per cent” of women do not have a penis. But last June he said he agreed with Sir Tony Blair that a man has a penis and a woman has a vagina.
‘Ideological hobby horses’
Last month, Mr Streeting attacked “misguided” diversity and inclusion agendas in the NHS as he highlighted “some really daft things being done” in the name of equality.
Speaking at an event on cancer, he said it was important to tackle health inequalities to save lives but said these efforts were being undermined by “ideological hobby horses”.
The Health Secretary has also ordered NHS trusts to go “back to basics” after dozens of new equality, diversion and inclusion roles were created since the general election.
This is despite an order given by Steve Barclay, Mr Streeting’s predecessor, that new specialist inclusion roles should not be introduced.
He has not reversed that order, but the NHS has continued to argue diversity jobs are important in achieving good outcomes for its patients.
Mr Streeting has put bureaucrats in the health service on notice of “far more change to come” after the abolition of NHS England, which he says is just the start of a war on waste.
Writing for The Telegraph last weekend, he said he would face down “vested interests” in the health service and press ahead with radical reform.