Queensland children as young as 12 have been prescribed puberty blockers and gender affirming hormones without proper medical support and parental consent.
The Crisafulli Government has been rocked by explosive claims that rogue gender services have been operating in Cairns, with Queensland Health now launching an independent inquiry.
The Courier-Mail can also reveal that at the same time concerns were first raised in May 2024 about the clinic operating out of its scope, an independent review into Queensland Children’s Gender Service was underway.
When the findings of this review were released in July 2024, former Health Minister Shannon Fentiman, touted the state’s pediatric gender services as providing safe, evidence-based care that was consistent with national and international guidelines.
It is understood the alarm was raised about Cairns services by a whistleblowing health worker who lodged a public interest disclosure when they came into contact with a 12-year-old patient from the Cairns Sexual Health Service, who was prescribed puberty blockers without the required consultations with psychiatrists, psychologists, endocrinologists, fertility specialists, paediatricians, social workers and GPs.
Gender services were thrust into the spotlight when Queensland Children’s Hospital senior child psychiatrist Jillian Spencer was suspended over her approach to transgender patients, said she had seen children with complex backgrounds being considered suitable by the clinic for puberty blockers and cross sex hormones.
Source: ‘Rogue’ gender clinics giving Qld kids puberty blockers without parental consent