Wales' health minister has confirmed that approximately 60 surgeries via the Welsh Gender Service (WGS) were cancelled for this year following a pause in referrals by NHS officials in August. This marks the first time figures have been released regarding the number of people affected by the decision.
The pause in referrals was implemented due to concerns regarding whether patients identifying as transgender had been "appropriately assessed." The NHS Wales Joint Commissioning Committee (NWJCC), which made the decision, has commissioned a review to examine these referrals. The review will assess if any of the cancelled surgeries can proceed before the end of December.
Health Minister Mabon ap Gwynfor stated that a clinical review panel has been appointed and is expected to begin its work "imminently." He added that the review would prioritise individuals further along the pathway to allow appropriate referrals to proceed as soon as possible. The NWJCC is confident that all 60 cases can be reviewed before the end of December.
Earlier this month, the NWJCC indicated that some patients did not meet "the basic requirements for surgery," citing an unsuitable body mass index (BMI) as a factor. They also noted that the proportion of Welsh patients progressing to some types of surgery was "significantly lower" than across the border, while the rate of surgery referrals was "significantly higher."
Welsh Green leader Anthony Slaughter described the situation for patients as an "unbearable limbo" during a Senedd debate. Reform's Cristiana Emsley supported the halt, stating it would be unacceptable to continue with irreversible referrals when "serious concerns exist."