2020, 17 years old Tracking* My GP referred me to the NHS Gender Identity Development Service.
“When I first got on the waiting list, that made things a little easier to deal with,” Chase says. hannah moore. “Because I was like, 'Okay, I feel terrible right now, my mental state is really bad, but there's something going on.'
But the first promise never came.
“About a year and a half ago, I thought no one would ever see me again. It made things even worse, because I felt like I was really struggling and no one was going to help me. Because I felt like it.”
This year, Chase received a letter informing them that they were too old to receive youth services and needed to join the adult waiting list instead.
Despite being on the waiting list for more than three years, Chase still receives no gender-related support on the NHS. They are among the thousands of young people still waiting.
This month, a review of NHS England's gender identity services conducted by Dr Hilary Cass was published.Guardian newspaper reporter Amelia Gentleman speaks to Moore about the concerns raised in the report and what he thinks Cass needs to do now.
Dr. Aidan Kelly, Having previously worked at the Tavistock Clinic, he reviews Cass and reflects on what a child welfare-focused service is like.
*Names have been changed to protect personal information.
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