More than 1,000 patients a year are sent for transgender “top surgery” on the NHS.
Data obtained by The Telegraph show for the first time the number of referrals for taxpayer-funded “masculinising” mastectomies from specialised gender clinics.
As many as 80 per cent of people using those services are females between the ages of 17 and 25.
The 1,000-plus referrals could be the tip of the iceberg, because many people have transgender surgery privately to bypass long NHS waiting lists.
The NHS faces calls to halt the surgeries. Experts warn there is no evidence that removing healthy breasts is beneficial for those with gender dysphoria – but there is evidence of harm.
A number of detransitioners have spoken publicly about their regret at rushing to have irreversible surgery, and the pain caused.
Over three years, it also sent more than 780 women for “masculinising genital gender reassignment surgery”, also known as “bottom surgery”.
Source: Revealed: More than 1,000 patients sent for NHS trans ‘top surgery’ every year