NHS England doesn't know how many trans people it's treating, Levy Review suggests

"NHS England has seemingly no idea how many trans people potentially fall under its remit, according to an excerpt from the newly-published Levy Review. A section from the NHS' service specification on non-surgical trans healthcare suggest the public health body has "no official data" on how many people in England exhibit signs of "gender variance." Inconsistent data collection, the document reads, poses "difficulties" in accurately reporting the size of the trans population in the region, which is only exacerbated by a "limited evidence base.""

"'There is considerable variation in estimates, and the absence of reliable prevalence data exacerbates the challenges in planning and commissioning gender identity services,' the specification continues. 'What is consistent across the literature is a recognition that the number of people pursuing treatment options - the incidence of expressed need - is rising significantly.' An operational review into NHS adult gender identity clinics (GICs), headed by Dr David Levy, was published on Thursday (18 December)."

"Among Dr Levy's 20 recommendations on improving the notoriously backlogged services are calls for NHS England to develop national datasets ensuring that every trans person on the over 15-year-long waiting list is accounted for. He said the lack of structure or strategical oversight around data collection had left every GIC's clinical workforce "fragmented." As a result, clinics reported having huge gaps in key information on patient care, such as the number of adults who had "aged-out" of youth gender clinics and moved to adult care."

NHS England has no official data on how many people in England exhibit signs of gender variance. Inconsistent data collection and a limited evidence base make prevalence estimates unreliable and complicate planning and commissioning of gender identity services. Estimates vary, but the incidence of expressed need and the number of people pursuing treatment options are rising significantly. Recommendations include developing national datasets to account for people on the long waiting list and establishing a national minimum dataset. Current clinic submissions focus on waiting times and activity, with large gaps and some clinics sharing no data at all.

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