Gender incongruence/Gender dysphoria guidance
Updated 13/05/2026
The ICB have shared some useful guidance with us relating to the treatment of Gender incongruence and Gender dysphoria.
The full guidance, including recommendations for general practice, can be accessed here.
Key Facts and Legislation
- NHS England is the responsible commissioner for Gender services.
- UK legislation restricts the prescribing and supply of puberty suppressing hormones (PSH) in children and young people (CYP) under 18 for treating gender incongruence or dysphoria due to insufficient evidence and medicine safety concerns, particularly regarding compromising bone density. See the NHS England Clinical Policy: Puberty suppressing hormones (PSH) for children and young people who have gender incongruence/ gender dysphoria [1927] March 2024.
- See the Royal College of General Practitioners GP position statement, March 2025, The role of GPs in transgender care
Recommendations for Community Pharmacy
Prescribers should ensure that community pharmacists are provided with sufficient information to safely dispense private or NHS prescriptions for GnRH analogues or other hormones for gender dysphoria.
Community pharmacists should be aware of the restrictions on dispensing NHS and private (UK and non-UK) prescriptions for GnRH analogues and other hormones for gender dysphoria and be able to explain these to prescribers and patients.
Review the ‘Quick reference guide puberty blockers (GnRH analogues) dispensing restrictions’ here to understand the restrictions on supply of these medications in full.
