SNP blasted for handing huge funding rise to controversial gender identity service

[IwantToRetire]

SNP ministers were blasted tonight for handing an inflation-busting funding rise to controversial NHS gender identity services despite major concerns about damage to kids.

Details of the hike emerged in a line-by-line rundown of planned health spending for 2025-26, published following this week’s Holyrood Budget.

The same tables reveal a list of NHS areas facing a squeeze - including immunisations and the Scottish Government’s flagship project to cut appalling drug death rates.

It emerged gender identity services are getting a 5.3 per cent increase, up from £1.9million to £2million a year.

Article continues at https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/news/13977531/snp-blasted-funding-gender-identity-service/

Related but different:

The first private gender clinic for young people in England to be registered with the health watchdog has been rated outstanding.
The Gender Plus Hormone Clinic, based in Birmingham, was registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in January and had its first inspection in September.
https://www.standard.co.uk/news/health/england-nhs-great-ormond-street-hospital-european-birmingham-b1197940.html

Hmm - the allegedly independent regulator the CQC is a Stonewall champion so they'll likely not have inspected them professionally and neutrally. They'll need to follow Stonewall's demands. 🙄

In fairness to the SNP it probably does cost more to run an adequate gender clinic than it costs to run a poor one.
However, I would be interested in knowing whether their funding for mental health services in general is improving, since the chaos and severe underprovision in mental health services is the wider failure that has resulted in so many young people being funnelled onto gender-related pathways that do not properly explore what their needs are and respond to them appropriately.

I would be interested in knowing whether their funding for mental health services in general is improving, since the chaos and severe underprovision in mental health services is the wider failure

Likewise.

However, given the actual amount of the increase is £100K

a 5.3 per cent increase, up from £1.9million to £2million a year.

in healthcare cost terms that is negligible. And easily swallowed up by many other costs (e.g., staff salary increases, power). But, it is a signal of priority at a time when other services have no boost at all or are being reduced.