The UK Government has legally compelled gender clinics to provide former paediatric patients’ records for research, while also issuing a 90-day ban on initiating cross-sex hormones for children.

After mostly banning NHS gender clinics from prescribing puberty blockers in 2024, the UK planned to conduct the world’s first randomised controlled trial on their use and the outcomes for adolescents.

But that trial was paused this year amid concerns for participant wellbeing.

Now, Health Secretary Wes Streeting says a new study will match about 9000 patient records from former Gender Identity Development Service clinics with adult health data to investigate mental health outcomes and more.