In a significant move to address the neglectful state of Gender Affirming Healthcare (GAH) in England, the Good Law Project, representing several trans and gender diverse people, is taking major legal action against the NHS.
Focusing on the unlawful delays faced by trans and gender diverse people when trying to access Gender Affirming treatment, the legal action will ask the NHS England to explain why they are failing to meet their legal obligation to ensure patients are seen within 18 weeks, and to set out the steps they are taking to secure alternative provision and bring waiting lists down.
Legally, patients should be offered their first appointment within 18 weeks of a GP referral. But children are waiting on average 18 months, and some as long as three years. Of the adults referred in October 2017 some are only now having their first appointment – four years later
– Good Law Project
In addition to the Trans Legal Defence Fund, which has so far raised £170,155 to ensure a successful intervention in the Bell v Tavistock appeal, the Good Law has launched a separate crowdfunder to fund this latest legal action. With £20,000 raised in just a few days, it’s very close to reaching its £30,000 goal.
With the NHS and the British government dragging their feet when it comes to the rights of trans and gender diverse people, the community funding legal action like this has become increasingly important. If you would like to contribute you can do so by visiting the Good Law CrowdJustice page here…
Photo by Claire Anderson on Unsplash