Dear Belfast Health and Social Care Trust (Northern Ireland),

I am writing to request information under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act (2000). My enquiries relate to the Brackenburn Clinic’s Regional Gender Identity Service for adults, as well as the Knowing Our Identity service for under 18s.

1. Assessment and treatment protocols
a. Please can you provide a copy of any assessment and treatment protocols in use by the Regional Gender Identity Service.
b. Please can you provide a copy of any assessment and treatment protocols in use by the Knowing Our Identity service.
c. Please can you provide a copy of any guidance given to GPs with regard to prescribing hormones to trans patients.

2. Treatment prerequisites
a. What are the current criteria that must be met before hormone therapy will be prescribed to patients by either of these services?
b. What are the current criteria that must be met before “top” surgeries such as mastectomy are offered to patients?
c. What are the current criteria that must be met before “bottom” surgeries such as phalloplasty, metoidioplasty and vaginoplasty are offered to patients?

3. Surgery referrals
a. Please can you provide a list of all surgeons to whom the Regional Gender Identity Service will refer.

Yours faithfully,

Jennifer Hackett