To ask the Minister of Health (i) for an update on the work of the Gender Identity Service Pathway Review Group; and (ii) whether his Department intends to publish the recommendations of the review group.

Significant engagement was undertaken to help inform the review of gender identity services. My officials, working with the Gender Identity Services Pathway Review Group and the Gender Identity Services Liaison Panel, have been working together to develop a solution which meets the immediate needs of service users and enables the service to expand services and build capacity over a longer period of time. This solution would also address the long waiting times for this service. However, given the very significant funding challenges faced by my Department it has not been possible to progress this work as we would have liked.

My officials had further constructive discussions with the Review Group and the Liaison Panel on the 9th and 12th February respectively. Work is ongoing between my officials and members of the Review Group and Liaison Panel to develop a business case to enhance existing service provision which would be delivered as part of normal service planning.

Whilst work is being progressed in regard to developing the business case for service development, my Department currently has no plans to publish the recommendations of the review group.