A prominent transgender businesswoman has withdrawn her negligence claim against the NHS, which alleged that the health service failed to provide adequate fertility preservation services before her gender reassignment surgery.
The case, brought by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) on her behalf, was set to challenge NHS England's policy on offering fertility services to transgender patients. The commission had argued that the lack of national provision discriminated against transgender individuals, forcing them to choose between gender dysphoria treatment and the chance to have biological children.
NHS England maintained that it was not obligated to offer such services at a national level, leaving decisions to local clinical commissioning groups. The legal action was expected to highlight the growing demand for transitioning treatment, with referrals for girls increasing by 4,400% over the past decade.
The claimant, who has not been named, decided to drop the case for personal reasons. A spokesperson for the EHRC said the commission remains committed to ensuring transgender people can access health services without discrimination.
