’Put patient safety before gender ideology’, Senedd urges amid NHS row

Members of the Senedd have defended NHS Wales’ decision to halt all ‘sex-swap’ surgeries until the end of the year.

In a debate, Health Minister Mabon ap Gwynfor emphasised that the cancellations were a “clinically-led decision” following patient safety concerns and all referrals will be reviewed “imminently”.

In August, 60 ‘sex-swap’ surgeries were suspended after it was found that “disproportionately higher numbers per population” were being referred by the Welsh Gender Service (WGS) compared to other UK nations. A wider investigation into the service is due to report in the coming months.

‘Delusional ideology’

Natasha Asghar MS stated: “There is nothing unacceptable about pausing irreversible surgery at the Welsh Gender Service while serious concerns are investigated.”

She pressed for the review to be genuinely independent and to “put patient welfare before gender ideology”.

Joe Martin MS called for the Welsh Gender Service to be “closed forever”, adding on X that “there’s nothing hateful about protecting children from delusional ideology, dangerous doctors, and the crazy politicians that promote this dogma”.

‘Irreversible referrals’

Cristiana Emsley, the MS for Fflint Wrecsam, told her colleagues: “Whatever our political differences, truth and patient safety must unite us.

“I accept that this pause might cause distress and patients must be supported, but what would be unacceptable is continuing irreversible referrals when serious concerns exist about referral appropriateness, clinical governance and patient safeguards”.

She added: “The pause is being called ‘unacceptable’. But what is truly unacceptable: pausing while clinicians establish the facts, or continuing irreversible referrals while serious patient-safety concerns remain?”