Day: September 4, 2024

Gender identity healthcare in Scotland

Update on work to improve services

The Scottish Government has accepted the findings of a multi-disciplinary team’s report on gender identity healthcare for young people.

Following the Chief Medical Officer establishing a multidisciplinary clinical team to consider, in the context of Scottish services, the recommendations of the NHS England commissioned Cass Review on gender identity services for young people; Public Health Minister Jenni Minto confirmed that the Scottish Government has accepted all the findings of the Cass Review: Implications for Scotland report, published in July, and that work is underway to implement its recommendations.

These recommendations include:

  • gender identity healthcare services for children and young people being provided in paediatric clinical settings
  • the provision of these services via a distributed network, or regional model, rather than on one site
  • an end to self-referral, with young people being referred to specialist services by a clinician, in common with other specialities.

In a statement to the Scottish Parliament, Ms Minto outlined work that is underway to implement the recommendations, including the publication of new National Standards for Gender identity healthcare: Adults and young people by Healthcare Improvement Scotland.

The Minister also highlighted the publication of a progress report on work to improve these services. The new standards are part of a suite of documents published today that also includes NHS Education for Scotland’s Transgender Care Knowledge and Skills Framework and an updated Gender Identity Healthcare Protocol for adult services.

Progress report on work to improve gender identity services.

Ms Minto said: “The Chief Medical Officer’s report underlines the need for development of these services with children, young people, and their families. I am determined the young people using these services, and their families, are our priority and will be at the heart of all our discussions about how this care is provided.

“There is now a breadth of work underway to take forward the recommendations of the CMO’s report which illustrates our commitment to deliver improved gender identity healthcare for young people.

“In addition, the suite of documents relating to gender identity healthcare provision published today, which were developed following extensive public consultation and targeted consultation with people with lived experience, will support clinicians and a wide range of professional bodies and help drive improvement in services.”

Progress report on work to improve gender identity services.

Seafield reimagined

Vision for new coastal neighbourhood

A masterplan to transform Seafield in north-east Edinburgh into a new environmentally friendly neighbourhood, was published yesterday by the Council.

The masterplan will also connect its coastline to the surrounding communities in Leith, Portobello and Craigentinny.

Currently, the area is primarily made up of car showrooms, trades, light industry as well as Lothian Buses’ Marine Depot and the Council’s Seafield Household Waste Recycling Centre. The draft ‘Seafield Place Brief’ and ‘Draft Seafield Masterplan’ have been produced to add detail to the allocation in the Council’s local development plan, City Plan 2030, as one of 44 pieces of land across Edinburgh allocated as an ‘Opportunity Site’ for development.

Planning Convener, Councillor James Dalgleish said: “Our draft plan focuses on the creation of a new environmentally friendly neighbourhood at Seafield to help address the city’s housing emergency.

“Options for higher density flats, with the clear aim of 35% of homes on site being affordable, are being explored with stunning views across the Firth of Forth alongside excellent community facilities.

“We’re estimating the site could potentially deliver as many as 2,700 homes with a range of other styles of housing such as colonies and townhouses. We’ll also make sure there are opportunities for employment and community uses.

“Our bold vision to transform this area would open up the Seafield section of Edinburgh’s coastline creating an attractive and seamless promenade linking to the waterfront communities that already exist on either side.

“I’d like to thank the local people and businesses whose views have helped get us to this stage and I look forward to receiving further feedback from the upcoming consultation to help us finalise our plans.”

A new primary school, GP surgery and plenty of green space are also proposed for Seafield as well as a Waterfront Park.  Improved public transport, walking, cycling and wheeling routes linking to the wider area are also included. The provision of a heat network to help the city with its net zero target is planned. This would also help to keep utility bills down for future residents.

The area under consideration stretches from Seafield Street in the north to King’s Road in the south. The eastern boundary of the site is the Forth Estuary, while the western boundary is defined by a railway line and by Seafield Recreation Area. Seafield Road East, part of the A199, runs through much of the site. As Seafield is a coastal area, work is also ongoing with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency to make sure we mitigate against any future flood risk.

If approved for consultation by the Planning Committee next week, residents, businesses and other organisations interested in the area will be asked to give their views on the ‘Draft Seafield Place Brief’ and ‘Draft Seafield Masterplan’, developed following extensive consultation with local people and businesses.

You can watch next week’s meeting on the council website.