Mick Hartley

If GPs are still doing this – well, they shouldn't be. Another small step in the right direction.

Trans activists and unregulated clinics have sought to pressure GPs into illegally prescribing puberty blockers, the NHS has said.

Health leaders issued new guidance to GPs that orders them to stop prescribing trans drugs to children, after requests for clarification from doctors.

GPs have been told that they “must refuse” requests to prescribe puberty blockers because it is a criminal offence and “should refuse” cross-sex hormone requests to children unless carefully considered.

It is understood a number of GPs have felt pressured into prescribing the drugs to children or entering agreements to supply the drugs on behalf of transgender clinics.

The NHS guidance specifically singles out two unregulated clinics to be avoided – GenderGP and Anne Transgender Healthcare Ltd – both of which have “published statements that oppose the restrictions that have been put in place” by the NHS and the Government.

Good, but could be better.

The guidance stops short of telling GPs not to prescribe cross-sex hormones at all. The NHS says they should not be used in children under 16 but has resisted calls for a ban for under 18s.

Dr Louise Irvine, a GP and co-chairman of Clinical Advisory Network on Sex and Gender, said: “GPs can come under considerable pressure from patients to prescribe on the advice of unregistered gender clinics and this advice will give GPs much needed support to refuse in the interests of patient safety.”

But she said it did “not go far enough” because it was “not mandatory” and some GPs are “operating outside NHS prescribing protocols”. She also said it did not protect adults from the same risks.