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Gender Identity Service – FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Q1. What is the Regional Gender Identity Service?

    The Regional Gender Identity Service is a service provided by the Belfast Trust for all residents of Northern Ireland. The service provides care, treatment and support through psychological, social and physical transition for adults who are assessed as having gender dysphoria. Individuals who use the Regional Gender Identity Service may also access other services such as endocrinology (hormone treatment), speech and language therapy, mental health services and dermatology as part of their care pathway.

    Where individuals are approved for gender reassignment surgery, they are currently referred to surgical providers outside of Northern Ireland as there is no local surgical service.

  • Q2. What is Gender Dysphoria?

    Gender dysphoria refers to discomfort or distress that is caused by a discrepancy between a person’s gender identity (how they see themselves with respect to gender) and that person’s sex assigned at birth.

  • Q3. What is the current service model?

    There is a very small regional gender identity service for adults in Belfast. Based in the Brackenburn clinic in Knockbracken, the service is consultant- led with input from a range of other professionals including speech and language therapy, endocrinology, mental health and dermatology.

    Unfortunately, the service is not running at its full capacity due to a number of staff departures and retirements.

    Belfast Trust has made, and continues to make, efforts to recruit to vacant posts, but currently,  the service has very  limited capacity.

    Given the staff shortages, many people referred to the gender identity clinic are waiting a long time for assessment and treatment.

  • Q4. What service is available for young people with gender identity issues?

    Children and young people with gender identity issues can be referred to the Knowing Our Identity service (KOI).

    It is also a small service that is witnessing an increase in demand.

    Once young people reach the age of 17 ½, they should transition to adult services. This has become problematic because of the significant capacity issues in the adult service.

  • Q5. Are puberty blockers / hormone-blocking drugs available for children under 18 years?

    Hormone-blocking drugs were available on NHS prescription for those under 18s, who were accepted and remain in the Belfast Trust’s Knowing Our Identity Service  endocrine pathway prior to March 2020.

    In March 2020, following consultation with the Clinical Ethics Committee, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust in consultation with HSCB (now SPPG) amended the service specification; whereby new referrals after this date would no longer have access to the endocrine pathway.

    The main reason for this is the Trust’s lack of ability to transition safely to an adult endocrine pathway.

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