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# NHS Wales admits 'family concerns' were considered in decision to pause gender-affirming surgeries
- URL: https://www.scenemag.co.uk/nhs-wales-admits-family-concerns-were-considered-in-decision-to-pause-gender-affirming-surgeries/
- Published: 2026-10-19T14:44:54.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-19T14:44:54.000Z
- Author: Graham Robson
- Tags: Trans Rights

Freedom of Information documents obtained by Welsh LGBTQ+ campaign group **Cwiar Cymru** have revealed that concerns raised by family members of trans people were considered as part of the evidence used by **NHS Wales Joint Commissioning Committee** (NWJCC) when it decided to pause gender-affirming surgeries in Wales.

The disclosure has prompted criticism from campaigners, who argue that involving relatives in decisions relating to trans healthcare risks undermining patient autonomy and fails to recognise that many trans people experience rejection or abuse from their families.

In response to a Freedom of Information request, the NWJCC confirmed that concerns raised by patients' relatives formed part of the wider evidence base considered when assessing the safety and quality of Wales' gender surgery referral pathway.

"Concerns raised by patients' family members contributed to the wider evidence base considered by the NWJCC," the committee said in its response.

It stressed that the decision was not based solely on family concerns, adding that these were considered alongside referral data supplied by the Gender Dysphoria National Referral Support Service, concerns raised by clinicians and concerns submitted by some patients.

The committee said: "Family concerns were not the sole basis for the decision."

The NWJCC also stated that it had not formally consulted family members as representatives of adult patients capable of giving consent. Instead, it said concerns submitted by relatives were received and considered as part of wider information relating to quality, safety and clinical governance.

When asked whether it had verified the identities of those submitting concerns, the committee said it was satisfied that the individuals involved had familial relationships with patients, and that their submissions were considered "in good faith" alongside information from other sources.

The documents were obtained by Cwiar Cymru, which has accused NHS Wales of a lack of transparency over the suspension of gender-affirming surgeries. A spokesperson for the organisation said: "Trans healthcare should strictly be a matter between the patient and their clinician.

"Involving external family members is an inappropriate measure that disregards the reality faced by many trans people whose families do not accept them.

"The NWJCC's decision-making process has been opaque and unaccountable. It is clear that this review has never been about patient safety."

The group is now calling for greater transparency over NHS Wales commissioning decisions and an urgent review into how non-clinical input from third parties is considered when decisions affecting patient care are made.

The NWJCC is a formal committee made up of Wales' seven local health boards and is responsible for commissioning a range of national specialist services across the country.

The committee's response comes amid continuing scrutiny of access to gender-affirming healthcare in Wales and the wider UK, with campaigners and patients seeking greater clarity over how decisions affecting transgender healthcare pathways are being made.