The Times- Hilary Cass: I can’t travel on public transport any more

INTERVIEW

Hilary Cass: I can’t travel on public transport any more

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Author of landmark review into transgender treatment tells of online abuse and her dismay at disinformation spread by, among others, a Labour MP

Dr Hilary Cass says she is more concerned about people being given the wrong information about her review than about the online abuse she has received
Dr Hilary Cass says she is more concerned about people being given the wrong information about her review than about the online abuse she has received
TIMES PHOTOGRAPHER RICHARD POHLE
James Beal
, Social Affairs Editor
The Times
Dr Hilary Cass has criticised the spread of “disinformation” around her report, including from a Labour MP, as she revealed she had been told not to travel on public transport over safety fears.
In an interview with The Times, the paediatrician behind last week’s landmark review on the treatment of transgender children said that young people were being put “at risk” by the spread of false information.
Following publication of her 388-page report, figures including the Labour MP Dawn Butler repeated claims that Cass had not included 100 transgender studies in it.
Calling the assertion “completely wrong”, Cass said that it was “unforgivable” for people to undermine her report by spreading “straight disinformation”.
The physician, 66, who has spoken about the toxic debate around the issue, also revealed that she had been sent “vile” abusive emails and been given security advice to help keep her safe.
Of her critics, Cass said: “I have been really frustrated by the criticisms, because it is straight disinformation. It is completely inaccurate.
“It started the day before the report came out when an influencer put up a picture of a list of papers that were apparently rejected for not being randomised control trials.She told The Times that during her review she had held a “really difficult” meeting with the clinics. They accused the review team of taking up their “valuable time”, she claimed.
“They were not particularly friendly to us when we approached”, she added.
Cass also revealed that the Tavistock clinic had refused to co-operate with the review by not handing over data on detransitioners who had been examined by a psychiatrist.
The review team wanted to assess what risk factors in a patient’s history could possibly be linked to detransition. A consultant who had carried out an audit of information from Gids patients had agreed to give it to the Cass team.
But Cass said: “We asked the Tavistock to have it and they wouldn’t give it to us. It was very disappointing.”
Following her report, Kemi Badenoch, the equalities minister, told The Sunday Times that there had been ideological capture of institutions, including the NHS, which needed to be corrected if Cass’s recommendations were to be fully delivered.
Cass responded yesterday by saying that there could plainly be ideological capture about “almost anything and certainly about this”.
In regards to Tavistock, she told The Times she had concluded “there were certainly one or two individuals … who I would describe as activists among the staff.”
However, she added: “I think the majority of staff believed what they were doing was right.”
With long waiting lists for the treatment of children with gender dysphoria, several private clinics have recently emerged to fill the void. Cass said she was concerned about that and claimed young people would not get the level of holistic care NHS clinics provided.
Dr Helen Webberley’s firm GenderGP continues to offer puberty blocking injections
Dr Helen Webberley’s firm GenderGP continues to offer puberty blocking injections
ADRIAN SHERRATT FOR THE TIMES
She singled out GenderGP, a Singapore-based firm founded by Dr Helen Webberley, a British medic, which continues to advertise puberty blocking injections.
Cass claimed the care offered “certainly doesn’t come anywhere near anything one would recognise as adequate in terms of a proper assessment and exploration”.
Cass is keeping a low profile following the publication of her report, but is adamant that she wants to help with the implementation of her review’s 32 recommendations.
Meanwhile, NHS England has announced a Cass-style review of adult gender clinics.
“You heard it right here: I am not going to do the adult gender clinic review,” Cass said.



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