NHS England has commissioned an adult gender service pilot in Sussex to reduce waiting times for people needing specialist gender identity assessment and treatments.

The service is available to adults that are registered with a GP in Sussex and already on one of NHS England’s seven National Gender Identity Clinics.

There are around 800 people in Sussex waiting for these services.

The plan is to open the new service in Spring 2023 after completing a six-month engagement, planning, recruitment and training period that is underway.

Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (SPFT) is keen to work with individuals and the local trans and non-binary community to make sure the pilot service meets needs and is shaped by lived experience.

The service will be led by SPFT in partnership with Nottingham Centre for Transgender Healthcare, which delivers the East of England Gender Service and is the link clinic for the Indigo Gender Service, both of which deliver gender service pilots across the country.

After two years, the service will be assessed and next steps agreed, which could include extending the pilot for an additional year. The evaluation will also be used to inform national policy.