Fentiman says probe into gender clinic is to ‘make sure we get it right’

With parents divided over the Queensland Children’s Gender Service, Health Minister Shannon Fentiman says the “timely” review is to “make sure we get it right”.

A review into the Queensland Children’s Gender Service, which has been at the centre of explosive allegations of harm to minors, is under way as Health Minister Shannon Fentiman declares she wants to ensure “best practice” at the busy clinic.

Calls for an investigation were dismissed by Queensland Health bosses last June when a whistleblower psychiatrist went public with alarming allegations of harmful sex hormone side-effects and inadequate mental health screening before treatment begins.

But Ms Fentiman told The Sunday Mail that “on reflection” the review was timely, as parents of patients at the clinic shared both confronting and positive experiences with the service.

“This is an emerging field with around 80 per cent of research on gender-affirming care only been published in the last decade,” she said.

“So, it is important we continue to review our models of care and consider any evidence that becomes available to ensure we are providing gender diverse children and young people access to the best and safest lifesaving care and support.”

Queensland Health Minister Shannon Fentiman. Picture: David Clark

Ms Fentiman said the review would also look into the need for extra clinic resources.

Close to 1000 patients were treated at the clinic both last year and in 2022.

The review panel will return its findings in April. Head of the panel is psychiatrist John Allan, who is executive director of the Mental Health Alcohol and Other Drugs Branch of Queensland Health.

The Queensland Children’s Gender Service follows The Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne guidelines endorsed by Australian Professional Association for Trans Health and The World Professional Association for Transgender Health.

One parent told The Sunday Mail that the clinic saved their child’s life.

Another said there was too little exploration into possible underlying mental health problems before “children are launched into puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones and ultimately end up with their penis cut off”.

Families can engage by submitting to the review process.

The QCGS regularly reviews clinical evidence and ensures that patients and their families are informed, including updating consent forms.

Psychiatrist and whistleblower Dr Jillian Spencer.

Jillian Spencer, the whistleblowing psychiatrist who has since been stood down from her job, said she had seen troubled children with complex backgrounds being considered suitable by the clinic for puberty blockers and cross sex hormones.

“I’ve seen teenagers with autism who have become aggressive on testosterone, kids who have developed suicidality on puberty blockers, adolescents trying to avoid feelings of same-sex attraction by identifying as trans, and neglected children who have immersed themselves in the online world and appear to have been influenced into a trans-identity by trans-influencers,” Dr Spencer said.

Submissions already to the review panel include one from the group Active Watchful Waiting Australia, whose concerns include the promotion of an affirmative care model without sufficient psychotherapeutic focus, removing lower age limits for medical and surgical interventions, and “promoting young male castration as a new gender identity”.

NEGATIVE EXPERIENCE

¢ “After 20 minutes with a psychiatrist my daughter, 14, was told she could have hormone blocking treatment.”

¢ “We only attended one appointment as it seemed it would all move too quickly when we wanted a more watch-and-wait approach.”

¢ “From the first step into the clinic, my son was asked what he wanted his name to be. It was all so fast.”

POSITIVE EXPERIENCE

¢ “We couldn’t have come through the experience without the clinic. We were lost.”

¢ “The clinicians didn’t push for medical intervention and our child waited until they turned 18. Now they live a happy, healthy life.”

¢ “The clinic was a safe port for us in a tumultuous storm. The clinicians there saved her life.”