GIDS Referrals by Referring Agency

Reference: 23-24406

Date response sent: 23/01/2024

Details of enquiry

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12902319/Dozens-5s-referred-controversial-NHS-transgender-service-officials-consider-introducing-minimum-age-referrals.html refers

The article says that

12 three-year-olds were referred to the clinic over the last decade, along with

61 four-year-olds,

140 five-year-olds and

169 six-year-olds.

Please can you tell me who referred them, preferably by year and age but in whatever detail you have available. Please specify non-NHS referrers (such as Mermaids).

Response sent

We note your request for information, under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, was entitled Referrals for Puberty Blockers, with a link and questions about numbers and who made referrals to GIDS (Gender Identity Development Service for Young People).  The Trust confirms that we hold data on GIDS referral sources, and provides below explanatory notes and data relating to GIDS referral sources and numbers.

With regards to Puberty Blockers, these would be the subject of onward referrals from GIDS to external endocrine units, – GIDS is not a medical service, and enquiries about hormone prescribing, which includes puberty blockers, should be directed to the endocrine services department at UCLH (University College Hospital London) or Leeds Teaching Hospital.

In order to preserve the anonymity of our GIDS patients where low numbers of 5 or less were referred by a particular organisation, we have masked these as ≤5, and where organisation making referrals only provided services to a local geography we have given generic names by organisation type, eg Local Authorities, GP Practices, and grouped them thus, where possible.

• Were we to publish all low referral numbers by named referral source it could potentially lead to identification or re-identification of the individual(s) concerned, especially as some are unique to a particular geography.
• Although the referral source and referral numbers alone are not personal data, we have also considered whether other information that is already available, or may become available, to any member of the public, could be combined with the data requested so as to enable identification of the individual(s) concerned.
• there is real risk that disclosure of low numbers would lead to individuals recognising themselves or others, from information already known or that which may become publicly available, and thereby learning new information, which would cause harm to themselves or others,

For the reasons explained above, we are, therefore engaging exemptions from disclosures under FOIA

• Section40(2) Exempts Personal Information. S40 is an absolute exemption under the FOIA and does not require us to carry out the public interest test.

I hope that you are satisfied with this response.  If you are dissatisfied you can ask us to carry out an internal review of our handling of your request.  You can request a review by emailing us at FOI@tavi-port.nhs.uk.  Your review will be carried out by a senior officer within the Trust who has not been involved in this response.  If you remain dissatisfied following completion of our internal review, you have a right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) at https://ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/official-information-concerns-report/official-information-concern/ or visit https://ico.org.uk/global/privacy-notice/how-you-can-contact-us/