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<p>We are advised by NHS England that there are currently seven gender identity clinics
(GICs) in England and three providers of gender reassignment surgery. The nearest
GIC to Brighton and Hove is located in London. These GIC clinics have considerable
experience of delivering this highly specialised service and are able to accept referrals
from all over the United Kingdom. At present there are no plans to undertake a procurement
exercise to increase the number of providers.</p><p> </p><p>NHS England report that
waiting times for pre-surgical assessment at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust
one of the three NHS England commissioned providers of gender surgery are currently
running at around 12 months, compared to 10 months in 2013-14. The increase in waiting
times is due to the increase in demand for the service nationally that has seen referrals
increase from 195 in 2011-12 to 300 in 2013-14.</p><p> </p><p>Individual patient waits
vary according to the needs of the patient. Currently, the average wait for surgery
is just under a year from the point at which funding is confirmed.</p><p> </p><p>Information
from the website of Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust shows that there are currently
279 patients approved for this surgery and that it carried out 178 male to female
gender reassignment operations in 2013-14.</p><p> </p><p>Following a change in staffing,
Imperial appointed a new gender reassignment surgeon who will start performing gender
reassignment surgeries in September 2014. As a temporary measure, the trust is referring
a small number of patients who have waited longer than others to a private provider
under a sub-contracting arrangement with that provider, Imperial retain responsibility
for managing all patient pathways.</p><p> </p><p>Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust
has published an update of the position on its website, which can be viewed at the
following link:</p><p> </p><p>www.imperial.nhs.uk/aboutus/news/news_044629</p><p>
</p><p>The trust is also sending this information directly to patients.</p><p> </p><p>These
issues have not been the subject of discussions between Ministers and the Chief Executive
of NHS England.</p><p> </p>
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