To ask the Minister of Health for an update on the reinstatement of the Gender Identity Service.

My Department has been working together with the Belfast HSC Trust to address the issues of waiting times, resources, and to develop a new model of care for Gender Identity Services for transgender people living in NI.

As part of this process, a Gender Identity Service Pathway Review Group was established and Chaired by the Strategic Planning and Performance Group (SPPG), with membership on the group including, the Public Health Agency, the Patient Client Council, the Royal College of General Practitioners and officials from Policy in my Department. The work of the Pathway Review Group began in September 2019. There was significant engagement undertaken to help inform the review, notwithstanding the obvious challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

A Gender Identity Liaison Panel, which sits under the main Pathway Review Group, was also established to enable those with lived experience to provide input to the review.

On completion of the review, my officials have continued to work closely and collaboratively with the Belfast HSC Trust, the Gender Identity Review Group and Gender Identity Liaison Group to develop a business case for the first phase of service expansion, which identifies the extra resources required to enhance the capacity of the services to meet the growing demand and includes additionality to address the implications of the Cass Review report. Funding of around £740k will be required recurrently to fund the service development. The business case details the extra medical and nursing resources required, including additional endocrinology provision. General Practitioner shared care arrangements are currently being explored for Phase 2 of this service development.

The business case was submitted for consideration in November 2024. My officials are working closely with Belfast Trust as part of the necessary approval process.

I am committed to improving wider gender identity service provision for children, young people and adults in NI. Despite the very challenging financial position facing my Department, I have advised my officials that I wish to prioritise the development of this service to ensure the appropriate advice and support is available to individuals and their families.