Susie Green, CEO of Mermaids said: “For years, parents, young people and medical professionals have been saying that the GIDS needs more support. The waiting times are absolutely unacceptable, no other child is expected to wait years for expert healthcare and wellbeing support and nor should they. “The CQC report shows that the NHS is failing in its responsibility to provide the best care for all children. “When a child goes to their doctor asking for help, they should be seen by the right specialist as soon as possible. We expect this NHS trust to treat the CQC report as…
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Susie Green, CEO of Mermaids said: “We are delighted that the Bell v Tavistock case has been granted permission to appeal. “The first instance ruling would force transgender young people and their parents to go to court before they can get basic healthcare. Whatever our beliefs, most of us can agree that it is the young people themselves, their parents and their doctor who best understand their needs. When all three agree on what care a child needs, there is no need for a court process. “We have seen first-hand the immense damage the High Court’s ruling has done to…
UPDATE: A high court ruling on 26th march 2021 now alters the impact of the judicial review, likely meaning parents and guardians can, in most cases, consent to puberty blockers on behalf of their children without having to go to court. CLICK HERE TO READ THE UPDATE. What was the decision at the hearing 29/01/2021 and what does it mean? This was not the substantial hearing of the appeal, it was a case management hearing which essentially organises the case before it is heard in full. The 2 main questions being considered: Whether the Order would continue to be ‘stayed’ Who…
UPDATE: A high court ruling on 26th march 2021 now alters the impact of the judicial review, likely meaning parents and guardians can, in most cases, consent to puberty blockers on behalf of their children without having to go to court. CLICK HERE TO READ THE UPDATE. To read a general summary of the High Court ruling, click here. The answers below reflect our current understanding of the new rules however please note this is a live situation and these may well be updated from time to time to reflect areas that have been clarified. What was the decision at…
KB V TAVISTOCK AND PORTMAN TRUST, Dec 1st, 2020 Analysis by the Mermaids Legal and Policy Unit This blog post is now out of date. Please see this link for the latest information. Important Update Further to the High Court decision on 1 December 2020, NHS England published amendments to its Service Specification for Gender Identity Development Services for Children and Adolescents. This is a short but concerning document that we would encourage all viewers to read themselves. We have also published a Q&A with an aim to bring together the High Court judgment and the Specification amendments. Please note that we are working hard to clarify…
A DANGEROUS BETRAYAL OF TRANS YOUTH Today’s judgment from the High Court risks untold, irreparable damage to young trans people in England and Wales. It heralds nothing less than a new era of discrimination, treating trans youth differently from all other young people and barring them from accessing life-saving care. The judgment does not make it a mandatory requirement for clinicians to seek judicial authority before prescribing puberty blockers to those under 18. The judgment did not decide that hormone blockers are illegal or unlawful. However, the court ruling effectively makes it very difficult for expert clinicians, who see the…
“If you do what you love, you will do it well and it won’t matter what others think.” Everyone has a dream of what and who they want to be when they grow up. For many trans, nonbinary and gender-diverse young people, dreaming big can bring challenges, mostly because they don’t have the opportunity to see people like them at work. For Trans Awareness Week our ‘#TransatWork’ campaign is seeking to celebrate and showcase the many talented trans, nonbinary and gender-diverse people who are doing what they do best. This blog is here to show everyone that gender does not…
This is a guide to help inform people should they wish to respond to the Women and Equalities Select Committee’s inquiry. It is drafted in a way to guide and support the reader to feel equipped and empowered to respond, in their own words, to the current inquiry, which has a deadline of 27 November 2020.
Keep up to date with analysis on this landmark case for youth access to trans healthcare. BRIEFING: SCROLL DOWN FOR THE LATEST PROCEEDINGS IN DETAIL FROM MERMAIDS DIRECTOR OF LEGAL, LUI ASQUITH WHAT IS A JUDICIAL REVIEW? Lui Asquith, Mermaids Director of legal & Policy, explains: A judicial review is a way for people to seek a remedy if they’ve been affected by a public body’s decision, action or failure to act. Anyone can apply to the High Court, which may provide a remedy if it decides that the authority has acted unlawfully. The case is being brought by Keira Bell…
If the judicial review against the Tavistock is successful it could steal away the right of all young people to decide what happens with their bodies. Our Legal & Policy Officer, Daminee Budhi, explains the upcoming judicial review and how stopping trans children’s access to puberty blockers could affect access to healthcare for all children. A judicial review has been brought against The Tavistock and Portman NHS Trust, which houses the Gender Identity Development Services (GIDS) clinic, and which supports young people, and their families, who are experiencing difficulties around their gender identity. The claimants are a 23-year-old former Tavistock…