Despite initially announcing that a controversial gender identity service which he signed off was compliant with the original Cass report recommendations, the UUP health minister later announced that he had invited Baroness Cass to assess the service.
That followed a political row over the clinic, when it emerged that children as young as five had been accepted onto the service in the past – and that there was no lower age limit on the new ‘lifespan’ service.
Two MLAs from Mr Nesbitt’s own party opposed the health minister’s policy of allowing children of any age to access the service.
The UUP leader also faced criticism for spending £800,000 on the service – a decision he said was in line with the recommendations of the original Cass Review.
There was also criticism of the involvement of LGTBTQ groups in the design of the lifespan clinic, but Mr Nesbitt defended the principle of lobby groups and professionals being involved in shaping government policy – calling it a “staple” of how Stormont governs.
Extracts only from longer article at https://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/politics/mike-nesbitt-awaits-results-of-cass-review-into-ni-gender-services-but-department-wont-commit-to-publishing-her-report-5422658