NHS gender identity services: strategic action framework 2022-2024

Strategy and governance

Improvement of gender identity services across Scotland requires renewed national strategic direction and oversight, policies and procedures which will facilitate best practice and promote equality of access. To achieve this we will therefore:

1. Establish a National Gender Identity Healthcare Reference Group (the Reference Group) which will oversee the implementation of commitments set out within this Framework until 2024

2. Support the NGICNS to become a National Strategic Network for gender identity healthcare, to allow it to take ownership of service improvement and planning from the Reference Group from 2024

3. Support the current review and update of the Gender Reassignment Protocol by NHS National Services Scotland and NGICNS

4. Commission Healthcare Improvement Scotland to develop national standards for adult and young people's gender identity services

The Reference Group will include people with lived experience of using gender identity healthcare as well as clinicians, academics and representatives from NHS Boards and LGBTI organisations. We anticipate that the Reference Group will begin its work in early 2022.