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FOI release

FOI – 2024-000255 Gender Identity Clinics (HTML)

Published on 24 July 2024

Date received – 04 July 2024 | Date responded – 24 July 2024

Request

For the attention of the National Gender Identity Clinical Network for Scotland. Under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 I would like to request the following pieces of information. I understand the GIC clinics in Lothian and the Highland refer GPs to the Endocrine and Fertility Guidelines for long term management of transgender patients in the community.

  1. Were these guidelines created for Specialists (GICs) use as no mention of GPs are made in the guidance?

  2. If the guidelines were created for GPs to use, please provide documents that show evidence that the plan was for them to be used for GPs, and if GPs were consulted regarding this.

  3. Who was this guidance disseminated to?

  4. Regarding question 3 please provide a copy of the letter sent when the guidance was disseminated.

Response

We have now completed the search of our records and can provide you with the following information:

  1. Were these guidelines created for Specialists (GICs) use as no mention of GPs are made in the guidance?

The aims of the guidance were to raise the standards of endocrine care for transgender patients across Scotland and to set standards enabling all clinicians involved in transgender care to provide acceptable, safe and effective treatment.

The most recent update aimed to outline what was considered best practice for safe and effective care applicable within NHS Scotland for endocrine management and fertility preservation. The conclusion reached was that the guidelines could be used by any clinician including GPs involved in the care of transgender individuals.

  1. If the guidelines were created for GPs to use, please provide documents that show evidence that the plan was for them to be used for GPs, and if GPs were consulted regarding this.

As above in our response to Q1, the guidelines were created for all clinicians working within NHS Scotland. Under section 17 of the Freedom of Information Scotland Act, 2002 (FOISA) an organisation does not have to provide that information if it does not hold it. NHS National Services Scotland (NSS) does not hold any information which shows that the plan was for use specifically by GPs, nor do we hold any information that details any consultation with GPs.

  1. Who was this guidance disseminated to?

Under section 17 of the FOISA, an organisation does not have to provide that information if it does not hold it. NSS does not hold any information that shows who this guidance was disseminated to. The current iteration of the document is available on the NGICNS website on the following link - NGICNS website.

  1. Regarding question 3 please provide a copy of the letter sent when the guidance was disseminated.

Under section 17 of the FOISA, an organisation does not have to provide that information if it does not hold it. NSS does not hold a copy or any information which shows the letter that was sent when this guidance was disseminated. A copy of the letter may be available through the territorial Health Boards that host the Gender Identity Clinics (GICs). The contact details are listed below:

I trust you will find the information of assistance and if you require any further information, please do not hesitate to contact us.

If you are unhappy with any aspect of how we have dealt with your request, you can make representations to us asking us to review the handling of your request.

If you require any further information, please contact Head of Information and Cyber Security, Digital and Security within 40 working days of the date of this correspondence.

Contact

Email: nss.foi@nhs.scot

Address

NHS National Services Scotland
Headquarters
Gyle Square
1 South Gyle Crescent
Edinburgh
EH12 9EB

If after a review you are still unhappy, you also have the right to apply to the Scottish Information Commissioner, who can be contacted at Kinburn Castle, St Andrews, Fife, KY16 9DS, or via their application form.

National Services Scotland (NSS) is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. You can view all FOI responses within our FOI Publications repository.

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