Mike Nesbitt defends funding boost for gender identity services

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BBC News NI political correspondent Jayne McCormack reported that Health Minister Mike Nesbitt has been facing criticism for his decision to allocate more than £800,000 to gender identity services in Northern Ireland. This move, announced last month, has drawn backlash from the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV), and some Ulster Unionist assembly members.

The Brackenburn Clinic, operated by the Belfast Health Trust in south Belfast, provides services for both adults and young people experiencing gender dysphoria. Currently, there are 1,163 adults and 45 children and young people on the waiting list for these services. Nesbitt defended the decision to merge adult and youth services to prevent individuals from experiencing a “waiting list cliff edge” upon turning 18.

One of the main reasons behind the increased funding for gender identity services was the desire for Northern Ireland to align with the UK-wide ban on puberty blockers. Nesbitt expressed concerns about people accessing these drugs through unregulated international channels due to the lack of a functioning gender identity clinic. Nesbitt emphasized the importance of psychological and psychiatric support in the clinic’s services.

Despite some cautiously welcoming the investment into the clinic, others, such as TUV assembly member Timothy Gaston and DUP assembly member Diane Dodds, have criticized the decision. Gaston intends to submit a public petition against it, while Dodds labeled it as reflecting “misplaced priorities” amidst the broader health service crisis. Moreover, concerns have been raised about a five-year-old child being accepted as a patient at the clinic, prompting Nesbitt to investigate the circumstances surrounding this case. In Northern Ireland, individuals can legally change their gender under certain criteria outlined in the Gender Recognition Act 2005

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