Boss of trans charity Mermaids referred children to the NHS Tavistock gender clinic even when their GPs had repeatedly refused to do so, documents reveal
- Mermaids’s ex-chief Susie Green demanded to be called medical ‘professional’
- Read more: Year 7 students are urged to question their gender identity
The boss of a trans charity referred children to the NHS Tavistock gender clinic – even when their GP had repeatedly refused to do so, documents have revealed.
Mermaids’s ex-chief Susie Green, who has no known formal medical training, was said to have a direct line to clinic director Dr Polly Carmichael.
She reportedly demanded to be regarded as a ‘professional’ so she could send referrals for young people who were unsupported by their GP. In one case she was said to have sent one noting that the GP ‘has consistently refused to refer’.
More than 300 pages of documents, seen by The Sunday Telegraph, include emails between Dr Carmichael and Ms Green, who now works for Gender GP, an online service which prescribes puberty blockers.
In 2016 Ms Green suggested a referral was rejected because it ‘was not validated or risk-assessed by a professional’.
Susie Green (pictured), who has no known formal medical training, was said to have a direct line to clinic director Dr Polly Carmichael
More than 300 pages of documents, seen by The Sunday Telegraph, include emails between Dr Polly Carmichael (pictured) and Ms Green
‘I can only assume from this statement that I am not seen as a professional?’ she wrote to Dr Carmichael. ‘If you do not accept referrals from Mermaids due to the fact that I am not a professional I would like to know the reasoning behind this?’
Dr Carmichael replied: ‘We do accept referrals from third sector groups and I know you have helpfully sent in referrals in the past. This continues to be the case.’
The Tavistock and Portman NHS Trust had initially refused to hand over emails or minutes of meetings with Ms Green, who was part of a task group reviewing services at the Tavistock, between 2014 and 2018 following a Freedom of Information request.
The Tavistock and Portman NHS Trust had initially refused to hand over emails or minutes of meetings with Ms Green
When the clinic was threatened with High Court action, it finally complied with the request last week.
Read more: Year 7 students are urged to question their gender identity as part of a ‘well-being’ program – parents left fuming
Critics argue that the documents show that bosses at the Tavistock were being influenced by lobby groups.
Stephanie Davies-Arie, of the Transgender Trend organisation, said: ‘The Tavistock were really in thrall to these activists. They were ideologically captured.’
The London-based clinic was told to close last year after a review by Dr Hilary Cass found it left young people at ‘considerable risk’ of poor mental health. Plans for a replacement have been delayed.
A spokesman for the Tavistock said: ‘Like many NHS services, gender identity development service works with a range of third-sector patient support groups and charities.’
Former chief executive Ms Green said it was ‘not a secret’ that she was involved in the service specification.
Mermaids said it was a recognised referral partner by the Tavistock.
A spokesman added: ‘Any decisions regarding any medical intervention or treatments for any individual have always been made at a clinical level.’
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