The Welsh Gender Service has immediately paused all scheduled surgeries and referrals following concerns raised about patient care. The decision came after a meeting last Monday, prompting health officials to contact NHS England care providers to halt immediate procedures. Some patients were informed that their planned surgery would need to be paused while in hospital preparing for the operation.
Paul Bostock, chief operating officer at Cardiff and Vale health board, stated, "Surgery can be an important and deeply personal part of a person's care and journey. We are truly sorry for the significant impact this will have had on patients and their loved ones."
Advocacy group Gendered Intelligence, represented by Wallis, highlighted concerns about the service's handling of patient needs. Wallis shared an account of a woman whose transgender son was to undergo surgery. She expressed worry that the service had not adequately assessed her son's comorbidities, including severe autism, and had not conducted a proper mental health assessment. The mother felt she was treated as an adversary for raising these issues, according to Wallis.
In response to Freedom of Information data obtained by Wallis, the North Wales and Cheshire Clinical Senate (NWJCC) said it is reviewing more recent data from 2025-26 and conducting a broader analysis. The immediate pause suggests "that someone has seen something very serious," Wallis commented.
One patient described being "heartbroken" after being told their surgery was called off just 24 hours before it was scheduled to take place.