Template letter relating to delayed access to Gender Identity Development Services

We know that waiting times for access to Gender Identity Development Services (GIDS) in England are intolerably long. That is why we have launched a new case challenging NHS England for persistent and long-standing breaches of the law requiring patients be seen within an 18 week period.

We believe that young people affected by these long delays should be empowered to take action. By notifying the Tavistock and Portland Foundation Trust of the delay to their treatment, a patient can trigger a legal duty on NHS England to “take all reasonable steps” to ensure that they are offered an appointment with a suitable alternative provider.

Here is a template letter enabling affected individuals to trigger that obligation. 

We have already written to NHS England, notifying them of one teenager who has sent this letter to the Trust. If NHS England fails to take the reasonable steps required of it, we intend to launch legal proceedings seeking a declaration that NHS England has failed to comply with its statutory obligations, and an order requiring it to do so.

We would love to hear from any other individuals who send this letter – please do let us know by emailing legal@goodlawproject.org with the subject line “GIDS Access: Letter to Tavistock”. We will of course keep any information you provide to us confidential, and obtain your prior consent if we think it would be helpful to use your letter in our legal proceedings.