Two recent articles in the Telegraph: NHS Scotland plans to ‘fast-track irreversible surgery for trans patients’ and Women’s health clinics could be renamed to avoid upsetting trans patients have focused on a report called the Scottish Pathway for Trans Healthcare (SPATH). This was one of several documents provided by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde in response to our Freedom of Information request, and details the proposed national treatment guidelines for transgender patients. NHS Scotland have said the guidelines are due to be sent to the Scottish Government for final approval.

The guidance is the end result of a request from the Chief Medical Officer in July 2021 to review the current Gender Reassignment Protocol and update it in line with best practice, taking into account the latest World Professional Association of Transgender Health (WPATH) guidelines, and the recent reclassification in ICD-11 of the mental health condition of gender dysphoria to a sexual health condition of gender incongruence.

As expected from a treatment protocol heavily based on the discredited WPATH standards of care, there are numerous concerns with SPATH, including the following:

‘Barriers’ to surgery should be removed with surgery seen as a preventative measure rather than to cure distress: