ITV viewers have been left shocked and enraged after watching a documentary about the Tavistock in the one-off documentary The Clinic.
The Tavistock Centre’s Gender Identity Development Service (GIDS) is one of the NHS‘s most controversial institutions. The NHS plans to close it down in 2024.
The Clinic on ITV, from the Exposure strand, told the story of the rise and fall of the Tavistock. It used powerful testimony from insiders and patients.
For over three decades, the facility was the sole NHS provider of treatment for young people with gender identity issues in England. But many of their actions and decisions have subsequently been criticised.
Those watching from home slammed the clinic, appalled at their behaviour. As the ITV documentary aired on Sunday night (June 25, 2023), one outraged viewer even called Tavistock staff “butchers”.
The Clinic on ITV
The ITV documentary charted the rise and fall of the Tavistock Centre’s Gender Identity Development Service. The NHS will close it in 2024 after a report deemed it “unsustainable”.
For more than three decades, the NHS service was alone in providing treatment for young people with gender identity issues in England. Demand for its services exploded in the decade to 2020.
Dr Hilary Cass was subsequently commissioned to investigate GIDS. Her report was critical of Tavistock’s handling of the use of puberty blockers. She also questioned the clinic’s waiting times. She ordered the clinic to close.
The independent review claimed the Tavistock Clinic was “not a safe option” for children. However, this left thousands of children in medical limbo…
The clinic is now facing legal actions from as many as 1,000 families.
What did viewers say about The Clinic on ITV?
Understandably, the documentary about the controversial clinic left many viewers feeling angry and upset. Those watching from home were horrified that some young patients were referred on to a gender transitioning pathway too quickly.
A disturbing number of those patients were autistic.
There was also much criticism about their routine use of puberty blockers. Dr Hilary Cass said young people were being left with “considerable risk” of distress and deteriorating mental health.
The Tavistock Clinic gave Jasmine puberty blockers in her pursuit of becoming a man. They also gave her testosterone and a double mastectomy. However, she now admits that what she really needed after a traumatic childhood was help. She says: “I needed someone to take an interest in me outside my gender.”
Talking in the ITV doc, she revealed: “GIDS just spoke to me as a trans person.”
Viewers slam Tavistock gender clinic as the ‘biggest scandal of the century’
Many viewers took to Twitter to voice their concerns about the Tavistock Clinic in London.
One wrote: “Good riddance to The Tavistock Clinic. Such clinics should be banned. Harmful and misleading. #TheClinic.”
Another said: “The Clinic @ITV. The documented story behind the Tavistock! One day this will be the biggest scandal of the century!”
A third added: “The fact the NHS can close Tavistock, but the butchers who worked there are free to open up privately to dodge the rules, is a national disgrace.”
“Watching #theclinic on @ITV, a documentary about the horrors of #gids and #Tavistock. Horrifying place and practice. Shameful #NHS #autism.” said one, while another added: “#theclinic It is really sad that people who want to detransition are completely abandoned. It must be terrifying.”
The documentary is now available to watch on ITVX.
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The Clinic aired on ITV1 and is now available on ITVX.
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