Trans children in Glasgow facing five-year wait for help

Around 500 children were referred in 2021, up from 317 in 2019 and just 37 in 2013.

The health board said the service, like other specialties, was currently under significant pressure and apologised for the "considerable waits".

The Sandyford clinic in Glasgow sees children aged from 13 (Image: Sandyford clinic)

According to one charity that supports trans people the average waiting time is around five years.

The group said this meant that children waiting now might be not be seen until they were eligible for adult services and would miss out on the family support that is offered by the Sandyford. 

The clinic offers a "comprehensive" service for children and adults and non-binary people considering medical treatment or surgery. It is the only one in Scotland that sees children as young as 13.

READ MORE: Trans teenager Brianna Ghey murder trial to begin 

NHS GGC said gender services are a complex specialty that demands a particular set of clinical skills and "other qualities from staff" and said it was facing specific challenges around recruitment.

The board said it had taken a range of steps to address this and was currently advertising for posts and said it was prepared to "widen our search for the right staff if that is deemed appropriate".

It has previously suggested that the inflamed response to the now paused Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill may be discouraging health workers from taking up positions. 

NHS GGC said in April that no children aged 13-17 had been given appointments in the year to date. A total of 1046 children under the age of 17 were on the waiting list as of April 14 with a further 2751 adults, aged 18 and over still to be seen by health workers.

Vic Valentine, manager of Scottish Trans, said waiting times for appointments meant that children who are confused about their gender may never get the help they require.

READ MORE: Carlos Alba: All of us have a duty to calm down on the trans debate

They said: "For lots of young people, they will realistically never be seen by that service because they will age out before they get to the front of the list.

"The waiting lists are objectively long but if you are a teenager, what does five years feel like - you can't even really conceive of it.

"It's such a long proportion of the life you have already lived.

Children who are uncertain about their gender are facing a five-year waiting list to be seen (Image: PA)

"The other thing that is unique to the young person's service is that it facilitates a more family-based approach,” he added.

"It does really include where possible parents in the process so [they are losing out on] that supportive space of the whole family to chat about any impacts."

The charity leader said many adults were now accessing private healthcare because the waits were similarly long.

They said: "It can take quite a long time for someone to have sat with their identity to get to the point where they want to say, yes I want to join this waiting list.

"Rather than that then feeling like a positive step and progressing, you hit this massive queue and so it can be an anti-climatic when it should be a sense of I have taken a step towards something."

NHS GGC runs four Sandyford clinics in Glasgow, including the main centre at Sandyford Place and others in Clydebank, Greenock and Paisley.

READ MORE: Yousaf facing clash with Greens amid calls to ditch gender bill 

It comes as the Scottish Government confirmed it will not challenge a court decision that concluded that Westminister was allowed to block controversial gender reforms.

The First Minister had attempted to overturn a decision by Alistair Jack, the Scotland secretary, to veto a law that would have made it quicker and simpler for people to change their legal sex.

He argued that although the subject matter was within Holyrood’s powers, the Bill would have an adverse effect on the operation of UK-wide equality laws.

Women’s rights groups say the policy risks eroding ‘sex-based rights’ and poses safety risks.

The Court of Session rejected Yousaf's case and Deputy First Minister Shona Robison comfirmed this week that it will not appeal against Lady Haldane's ruling to the court's inner house, and potentially the UK Supreme Court.

While the debate continues, Scottish Trans say young people requiring support are bearing the brunt of public disharmony and said it was "bitterly disappointed" by the Scottish Government's decision.

"We know that people feel less welcome, feel nervous about how they will be received in public services and out and about in cafes and shopping centres," said the charity leader.

"If you have not found a community yet and the only reference point you have for how people feel about trans people is the quite heightened and stigmatising media coverage then that can have a negative impact.

"While some will have accessed youth groups and supportive schools, not everyone will and particularly those living in more rural communities.

"It's vital that the media covers important issues and talks about big policy changes but one thing we hear a lot is that there aren't a lot of trans people working in the media  and it often feels as though we are being talked about and not to."

A boy and a girl were found guilty on Wednesday of murdering transgender teenager Brianna Ghey, 16, who was subjected to a frenzied knife attack while out walking in Culcheth Linear Park near Warrington on February 11.

The boy and girl, who were both 15 at the time, had been meticulously plotting what they were going to do, fantasising about stabbing Brianna, and had even compiled a 'kill list' with other young people on it.