Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-26400

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 22 March 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 19 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will set up a study into the effects of puberty suppressing hormones on children and young people.

The term “puberty-suppressing hormones” is non-specific, and could be applied to a range of medicines used for a variety of conditions.

The Scottish Government and NHS Scotland are proactively engaged with NHS England and its commissioned research study on puberty-suppressing hormones as a treatment option for gender dysphoria. This is being delivered by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). The Scottish Government and the NHS in Scotland are currently observers to that ongoing study development process, however consideration by NHS partners of what further engagement with this study may be appropriate is ongoing, as the scope of the research continues to be developed and defined by NIHR.

Question reference: S6W-26409

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 22 March 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 19 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions have taken place between NHS Scotland and the UK Government regarding the prescription of puberty suppressing hormones to children and young people.

Decisions on clinical pathways are not for the Scottish Government. These decisions are for clinicians, based on the best evidence available, through the appropriate clinical governance structures.

The Scottish Government is unaware of any discussions between NHS Scotland Health Boards and the UK Government regarding the prescription of puberty-suppressing hormones as a treatment option for gender dysphoria.

Question reference: S6W-26407

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 22 March 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 19 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6F-02948 by Humza Yousaf on 21 March 2024, whether it will confirm if NHS Scotland will continue to offer puberty suppressing hormones to children and young people, in light of reported concerns from governments in England, Sweden, Finland and France regarding the lack of knowledge of the effects of such drugs.

Question reference: S6W-26408

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 22 March 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 19 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions have taken place between NHS Scotland and Dr Hilary Cass regarding the prescription of puberty suppressing hormones to children and young people.

The final report from the NHS England-commissioned Independent Review of Gender Identity Services for Children and Young People (the ‘Cass Review’), chaired by Dr Hiliary Cass, was published on 10 April. The Cass Review did not review or consider clinical services as offered by Health Boards in Scotland.

However, both the Scottish Government and Scottish Health Boards had continued to proactively engage with the Cass Review as it progressed, to share information on improvement work in Scotland; shared learning; best practice; and to understand outputs of the review in England.

The Scottish Government welcomes the final report of the Cass Review, and we are now closely considering its findings at pace. Health Boards will also be considering the content of the report in the context of how this type of healthcare is delivered within Scotland.

On 18 April, in a joint statement, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and NHS Lothian confirmed that both Boards have paused any new prescription of puberty-supressing hormones and cross-sex hormones for young people as a treatment option for gender dysphoria.

The small number of patients directly impacted by this change, and their families, were notified in advance of this statement. It is right that they were the first to hear about it, sensitively and from the services caring for them, before a public statement was made.

Question reference: S6W-26399

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 22 March 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 19 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has plans to gather any long-term evidence and data on the effects of prescribing puberty suppressing hormones to children and young people.

Question reference: S6W-26397

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 March 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 19 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what the outcome is of its consideration of the Cass Review, and whether any of its findings have been taken on board, as they apply to Scotland.

The Scottish Government welcomes the publication, on 10 April, of the final report and recommendations of the NHS England-commissioned Independent Review of Gender Identity Services for Children and Young People, chaired by Dr Hiliary Cass (‘the Cass Review’).

The findings of the review, and the associated systematic review papers, are being closely considered by both the Scottish Government and Health Boards in Scotland in the context of how such healthcare is best delivered here.

On 18 April, in a joint statement, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and NHS Lothian confirmed that both Boards have paused any new prescription of puberty-supressing hormones and cross-sex hormones for young people as a treatment option for gender dysphoria.

The small number of patients directly impacted by this change, and their families, were notified in advance of this statement. It is right that they were the first to hear about it, sensitively and from the services caring for them, before a public statement was made.

Question reference: S6W-26395

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 March 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 19 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many individuals under the age of 18 have been prescribed puberty suppressing hormones in each year since 2013.

The term “puberty-suppressing hormones” is non-specific, and could be applied to a range of medicines used for a variety of conditions.

In the context of the provision of gender identity healthcare to children and young people, I refer the member to question S6O-03286 on 28 March 2024. which is available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/official-report/search-what-was-said-in-parliament .

The Scottish Government does not routinely hold or collate this information. This information should be requested from the relevant Health Boards.

Question reference: S6W-26398

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 March 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 19 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government when the discussions and scoping by NHS National Services Scotland and NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde to consider current and future national provision of gender identity services will conclude.

The Scottish Government has commissioned NHS National Services Scotland to work with a wide range of clinical and other stakeholders to consider how best to meet the needs of the population in terms of young people’s gender healthcare services for NHS Scotland. This work is ongoing, and aims to define the scope of a specialist service in Scotland.

The Scottish Government anticipates that an outline service specification based on this work will be presented to NHS Strategic Planning Board for Scotland for consideration later this year.

Question reference: S6W-26436

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 22 March 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 17 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Workforce Specialist Service will be renewed once the current contract expires.

Question reference: S6W-26725

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 April 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 30 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many training places for radiology students there have been in each year since 2018, also broken down by training centre/region.

Chamber and committees