An open letter from the CEO of the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust about the CQC inspection of the national Gender Identity Development Service.

In recent times, the Gender Identity Development Service has found itself in the middle of a cultural and political battleground. This followed a rapid rise in referrals which has been hard to manage, both in terms of the numbers but also the wide range and often complex needs of patients seeking support.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC), our regulator, rated GIDS as good in 2016, but following an inspection last October has today rated the service as ‘inadequate’.

I entirely accept we have struggled to manage our waiting lists and agree with the CQC’s assessment that the growth in referrals has exceeded our capacity. As a result, vulnerable young people and their families have not had adequate access to the care they expect and deserve. I would like to apologise for falling short in our support of young people and families. I know from my own inbox just how challenging these long waits are, particularly in the current climate.

We also recognise the importance of making our decision-making process more systematic, consistent and transparent, particularly in relation to assessments and improving record-keeping. We’ve made significant progress in implementing changes in these areas, but we know we have a lot further to go. We will be addressing this in the action plan we are producing for the CQC in response to the requirements they have set us. We are already making plans to bring in independent clinical and operational expertise to work with our staff to build on the changes we’ve made.

Embedding these improvements will be a significant undertaking for our staff and I personally pledge to support them through this period. GIDS is recognised by the CQC as a caring and dedicated group of NHS professionals I am proud of their skill and dedication. Patient feedback was reported as overwhelmingly positive and we will involve both patient and staff as we build on these strengths as we move forward.
We will also continue to support Dr Hilary Cass who has been commissioned by NHS England to make recommendations on the care provided to children and young people questioning their gender identity or experiencing gender incongruence.
I will continue to keep everyone updated with the progress we make. I want to reassure you we will continue to listen and work with everyone to answer questions as honestly and as quickly as we can. In the meantime, if you would like more information then please visit here (LINK).

Best wishes,

Paul Jenkins, Chief Executive, The Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust

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