Mike Nesbit promoted funding for gender identity services

Health Minister Mike Nesbit has defended his decision to allocate more than £ 800,000 for gender identity services in Northern Ireland.

His department announced the move last month, but it faced criticism from members of some Ulsers Unionist Assembly along with Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and traditional unionist Voice (TUV).

The Belfast Health Trust runs the Bracanburn Clinic located in the South Belfast, with a service for adults experiencing gender dysphoria. There is also a separate service for young people.

The trust said that there were currently 1,163 adults in the waiting list, as well as 45 children and young people in a separate waiting list.

NESBIT said that adults and youth services were being tied up to ensure that those seeking help did not find themselves on the “waiting list Cliff Edge” when they turned 18.

He said that the decision to impose additional funds in services came because he wanted the Northern Ireland to be part of the UK-wide ban on Puertie blockers.

Puberty blockers work by pressing the release of hormones and children who question their gender can be determined.

Last year, the government tightened the rules on drugs with Stormont’s executive Supporting indefinite ban in December.

“It was clarified to me that it would not be until we put some money to revive the gender identity clinic, which was originally lying passive through lack of funds,” the minister said.

He cited concerns over people reaching drugs through “international providers” that the health department had “no control”, as gender identity service was not running up and not running.

He said, “There is an example of a doctor who is Spanish, which is working outside Romania, determining through Singapore – we have no control over the safety of that operation, so we decided to invest some money in gender identity service.”

The minister stated that gender identity services began in North Ireland in 2014, and the clinic “psychological and psychopathic would give heavy emphasis on help”.

Currently, the longest wait for an adult to see in the clinic is more than seven years.

The trust stated that she wanted to apologize honestly to the delayed people, which was put in the “insufficient workforce” due to the absence of “commission service and workforce recruitment challenges.

A statement said, “The demand for service has also increased significantly in recent years. We fully admit that the waiting time for gender services is unacceptable and not keeping in mind the instructions of the waiting time,” a statement has said.

The Rainbow Project stated that it carefully welcomes investment in the clinic, but the department needs to ensure high quality care for those accessing services.

But Timothy Gaston, a member of the TUV Legislative Assembly, called to withdraw it and is ready to submit a public petition on the issue in the assembly next month.

Members of the DUP assembly, Dyne Dods, said the decision “at one time depicted wrong priorities when our healthcare is in crisis”.

Confirm a report in news The letter that a five -year -old child was accepted as a patient for serviceNesbit said that he was still asking questions about “what happened there”.

He said, “I am still asking questions about who knew in the case of ministers over the years, it is really important that we are clear about what this service does and what does,” he said.

People in Northern Ireland can change their legal gender under the Gender Recognition Act (Gra) 2005.

However, they should be at least 18 years old and need to provide two medical reports, a specialist from a specialist may have to change their sexual characteristics to diagnose a specialist gender dysphoria and to list any treatment or surgery.

They also have to prove that they have been alive full -time in their acquired penis for at least two years and will have to apply to the UK’s gender recognition panel.

Last month, the Equality Commission said it would demand an announcement to address the “uncertainties” from the High Court on how to apply The UK Supreme Court decides the legal definition of a woman in Northern Ireland.