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NHS Removes Age Limit for Child Gender Referrals Amid Rising Wait Times

New guidance allows children of any age to access specialist gender services, focusing on family support for the youngest while waiting lists exceed 6,200 children with average waits of over two years.

UK Health and Social Care Minister Wes Streeting. (Rasid Necati Aslim/Anadolu via Getty Images)
The Tavistock Centre was previously the location of the only youth gender clinic in England. (Getty)
An illustration taken on July 7, 2024 shows the National Health Service (NHS) website displayed on a screen. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has a daunting in-tray when his Labour party gets to work governing Britain after almost a decade and a half in opposition. Often the highest priority for UK voters, the country's free-at-point-of-use National Health Service (NHS) is currently buckling under the strain of tight budgets, a 7.5-million person waiting list that ballooned during Covid, staff shortages and strikes. (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS / AFP) (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images)
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Overview

  • The NHS has dropped a proposed minimum age of seven for referrals to specialist gender clinics, allowing children of any age to access services.
  • For children under seven, the focus remains on providing family support and guidance rather than direct clinical interventions.
  • The national waiting list for gender services has grown to 6,225 children, a 12% increase from last year, with average waiting times now at 116 weeks.
  • Three new regional gender hubs are operational, with a fourth expected to open this spring, as part of plans to expand to up to eight clinics nationwide.
  • Puberty blockers remain banned for under-18s outside clinical trials, with NHS England planning a trial to address gaps in evidence about their long-term impacts.