Government breaking promises to end “totally unacceptable” gender clinic wait times
The Scottish Government must fulfil its overdue promises to reduce decades-long waiting times at NHS Scotland’s gender identity clinics, says Scottish Greens MSP Patrick Harvie, who will be holding a Member’s Debate on the issue today.
Figures from Public Health Scotland show that around 4000 people are on the waiting list at the Sandyford clinic in Glasgow, with fewer than 50 first appointments being offered per year. At this rate, new patients would face an 80 year wait for a first appointment, meaning many people will never be seen.
The Sandyford clinic serves eight health board areas, covering roughly half the Scottish population.
Patrick’s debate calls on the Parliament to recognise how unacceptable these wait times are and for the Government to take urgent action to ensure trans people across have access to the vital health services they deserve.
Patrick said:
“With 4000 people on the waiting list and fewer than 50 first appointments a year, people joining it now will face the prospect that they will never be seen at all - unless there is a transformational improvement in the service.
“If people were having to wait decades to access any other service that our NHS provides, there would be collective outrage.
“Trans and non-binary people have always existed, and they are deserving of safe, crucial healthcare services within a reasonable timeframe.
“The Scottish Government has previously promised a new service model to cut waiting times, but this simply hasn’t happened and the situation has got steadily worse.
"This is all coming at a time when trans people face increasing hostility and exclusion, and their rights and very existence are being politically weaponised. This is a grotesque echo of the politicised homophobia of the 80s and 90s, and it must end.
“I hope MSPs from all parties will join this debate in good faith and call on the government to urgently improve the gender identity services as promised.”