She is without a doubt one of the most influential pediatricians of her generation and, perhaps most importantly, is no stranger to sounding the alarm about patient safety concerns.
It is therefore no surprise that Dr Hilary Cass has been tasked with reforming care for gender-questioning children in the UK.
Appointed by NHS bosses in the wake of the Tavistock scandal, Dr Cass has separated fact from fiction in a debate that has become exceptionally toxic.
Their damning critique of gender identity services for youth runs to nearly 400 pages and has been nearly four years in the making.
Dr Hilary Cass’s final report on NHS care for gender-questioning children has been published
Dr Hilary Cass, retired consultant paediatrician, talks about the publication of the Independent Review of Gender Identity Services for Children and Young People
She says children have been let down by the lack of research and evidence on medical interventions, specifically puberty blockers and hormonal medications.
The guidelines themselves are not evidence-based, he ruled.
As Dr. Cass herself puts it bluntly, all of gender medicine is “built on shaky foundations.”
Dr. Cass, in her 60s, is no stranger to raising concerns with those in power.
In 2013 it was revealed that he left Great Ormond Street Hospital after raising concerns about patient safety.
He warned bosses that understaffing, poor morale and a lack of co-operation between departments were putting patients at risk.
After emailing managers outlining her concerns, GOSH used a confidentiality agreement to resolve a long-running dispute with her that demoted her and led to her departure.
It sparked a national conversation about the use of so-called “gag clauses” in the NHS.
Dr Cass, who attended a prestigious private London girls’ school before studying medicine at the University of London, is a recognized leader in the field of children’s healthcare, having been president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health from 2012-2015.
Additionally, she was President of the British Academy of Childhood Disability between 2017 and 2020.
Although she no longer works clinically, she remains an honorary consultant pediatrician at Evelina London Children’s Hospital, part of Guy’s & St Thomas’s NHS Foundation Trust.
While at Evelina, she worked on developing pediatric palliative care services for extremely ill children and their families.
Dr. Cass, who previously described her ideal guilty pleasure as eating a Snickers while watching an episode of The Thick Of It, is a respected figure in the field of pediatrics.
Dr Cass, retired consultant paediatrician, talks about the publication of the Independent Review of Gender Identity Services for Children and Young People, 9 April.
Dr Cass, an avid theater fan, has been recognized several times for her work, including being awarded the OBE for services to children’s health in 2015.
Dr. Cass, who previously described her ideal guilty pleasure as eating a Snickers while watching an episode of The Thick Of ItHe has also published multiple articles on the care of children with neurodisabilities.
Her previous work involves children with autism, cognitive and visual disabilities, as well as those with multiple disabilities.
Caring for children is clearly a very important topic for Dr Cass, as even after leaving clinical practice she has worked with charities dedicated to helping young people with complex medical conditions.
These include being former chairman of children’s hospice charity Together for Short Lives and trustee of Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice.
Dr Cass, an avid theater fan, has been recognized several times for her work, including being awarded the OBE for services to children’s health in 2015.
She has also received honorary fellowships from the Royal College of Nursing and the Royal College of General Practitioners.
Dr. Cass has a way of delving into controversial medical topics; She previously spoke out in 2013 about her support for physician-assisted suicide, also known as medical euthanasia.
When he retires, he plans an “adult gap year,” according to an interview he did with the British medical journal in 2013.
In that same article, he talked about his love for the “crispy duck from the local Chinese takeout.”
His parents “always thought I was argumentative and vicious enough to be a lawyer,” Dr. Cass also said.