Welsh Conservative Shadow Minister Natasha Asghar MS has welcomed the decision to pause surgical referrals and scheduled gender-affirming surgery through the Welsh Gender Service while an independent clinical review takes place.
Natasha has been raising concerns about the Welsh Gender Service and has previously called for an independent inquiry into its practices and leadership, following figures showing the service has been referring between three and four times the number of people for irreversible gender surgery than the UK average.
Natasha Asghar MS, Shadow Minister for Health and Social Care, said:
“I welcome the decision to halt further surgical referrals and scheduled operations while these serious concerns are investigated.
“I was the first member to raise these concerns in the Senedd chamber with the new Health Minister because it is imperative we need to understand why such a high proportion of patients in Wales have been referred for irreversible surgery compared with elsewhere and whether the assessment processes and safeguards have been sufficiently robust.
“Patients experiencing gender dysphoria deserve compassion, support and the highest possible standards of clinical care, particularly when life-changing and irreversible procedures are being considered.
“It is vital that this inquiry is going to be genuinely independent and I will make sure it addresses the key issues, including why referral rates have been so unusually high and why concerns were not addressed sooner.
“Patient safety must come first and these questions need clear answers.”
