THE NHS will open a gender identity clinic which will help people looking to transition.

A gender identity clinic provides psychological support for people looking to change gender and can refer them for medical treatment - such as hormone blockers and mental health services.

No fixed date for the launch of the clinic has been announced as yet but is expected to be by the end of the year.

Councillors on Brighton and Hove City Council are hopeful that the move will help ease NHS waiting times for trans people in the city.

Current figures reveal that the waiting list at London’s gender identity clinic, the closest to Brighton and Hove, stands at over 10,000 - with those referred facing waits as long as five years.

The news comes just weeks after a letter from Green councillors Hannah Clare and Steph Powell to April’s meeting of the council’s health overview and scrutiny committee, which called for a review of trans healthcare and an update on opening a gender identity clinic in the city.

Cllr Clare, who chairs the children, young people and skills committee, said: “I’m really delighted that following a request from Green councillors, NHS England has revealed their exciting plans.

“This will mean so much to many people who access gender-affirming healthcare and I look forward to hearing more about the plans.

“This is ever more necessary, as the waiting times for access to those sorts of healthcare services remain high.

“In the meantime, we will continue to scrutinise the state of healthcare for trans people in our city.”

Further details about the plans are expected to be revealed in July.

Cllr Powell, who co-chairs the tourism, equalities, communities and culture committee, said: “We must do more for our trans residents to help them feel safe and ensure they get the right access to healthcare.”

Councillors at the health overview and scrutiny committee last week agreed to a report reviewing the state of trans healthcare, which will be presented to the July meeting of the committee - due to take place the same week as the return of Trans Pride Brighton and Hove for its first in-person protest in two years.