Exclusive:SNP U-turn urged over gender services Cass Review as trans 'discrimination' claims made

The Scottish Government fully endorsed the Cass Review, commissioned by NHS England into gender identity services for young people, including all recommendations. This came after sustained pressure from anti-trans campaign groups and the Scottish Conservatives.

Puberty blockers were also banned for under-18s, following a similar move south of the Border, with the Cass Review claiming gender medicine was operating on "shaky foundations".

But now, a preliminary motion that could be debated at the Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC) conference in Dundee later this month could call on the Scottish Government to rethink pausing the use of puberty blockers for young trans people and its endorsement of the Cass Review.

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The motion, which could be debated by trade union delegates, has been tabled by the STUC LGBT+ workers’ conference.

It states that since the final Cass Review report was published in April last year, “experts in the field of trans healthcare have reviewed the report and condemned the methods used within the report”.

The motion points to concerns over “substandard and inconsistent use of evidence, non-evidenced claims, unethical recommendations, overt prejudice, pathologisation, and the intentional exclusion of service users and trans healthcare experts from the review process”.

The preliminary motion warns that despite an acknowledgement “some parts of the report could help in improving trans healthcare”, there should not be a move to “pick and choose which parts of a report” should be embraced.

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The motion adds: “Puberty blockers are no longer allowed to be prescribed to trans youths, though are still in use for precocious puberty. They are either safe for all children or not safe for any. This is discrimination toward a very vulnerable group of young people.”

The preliminary motion calls on trade union delegates to “campaign against the actions the Scottish Government and Gender Identity Clinics (GIC) took in 2024 to endorse the report”, and “call for an inquiry into the long waiting times for young trans and non-binary patients”, while concerns would be raised with Scotland’s chief medical office and SNP ministers.

Dr Ruth Pearce, from the University of Glasgow, previously warned the Cass Review’s recommendations “appear to be based more on bias than on evidence”.

She said “rather than supporting young people, the review has inflicted significant harm on children, their families, democratic discourse, and broader scientific principles”.

Dr Pearce warned that “a critical assessment of the report's context and findings is urgently needed”, adding “medical experts and academics from various fields have heavily criticised the Cass Review's methodology”.

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Last year, the British Medical Association, which did not endorse the findings of the Cass Review, confirmed it would carry out an evidence-led evaluation of the report.

But Scottish Conservatives shadow equalities minister Tess White has called on the Scottish Government to “give a guarantee to vulnerable young people that they will give this motion short shrift”.

She said: “Any call to U-turn on accepting the recommendations of the Cass Review shows how out of touch these union members are and its passing would represent a betrayal of young people.”

Green MSP Gillian Mackay said: "I hope that the STUC votes to send a message of solidarity to young trans people.

"Our guiding principle will always be the wellbeing of young people and their right to access healthcare. That is what should be at the centre of our thoughts.

"Trans people know their own minds, but the current system is failing. Waiting list times for even basic consultations are running into years, which is clearly damaging and unacceptable. There is a lot of work to be done if we are to build a responsive and inclusive system.

"Trans people have had a horrible culture war thrust upon them that they did not ask for, and it has only got worse since the weaponisation of the Cass Review. It is heart breaking to see some of the hostility and aggression that is being directed online and in person at people who just want to go about their lives."

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “The Cass Review was commissioned by NHS England and did not consider services in Scotland. Following the publication of the Cass Review last April, the Chief Medical Officer for Scotland convened a multidisciplinary team to consider the Review and its applicability to Scotland. In July 2024, this multidisciplinary team published its own report. The Scottish Government has accepted this report and its recommendations, which are now being implemented.”