Assurance Group

An Assurance Group has been established to provide expert advice and challenge about the approach and processes used to conduct the review, and to ensure that the Review is conducted in accordance with its terms of reference.

The Assurance Group is strictly focused on the governance of the Review and has not been established to inform the outcome and recommendations. The role of the group is to:

• Establish a structured approach to assure that the process of the Review is robust, which shall be continually revised as the Review progresses to ensure that the approach remains robust and fit for purpose.
• Ensure a transparent and inclusive process in line with the scope of the Review.
• Ensure the Review process enables the development of robust recommendations on service improvement.
• Ensure excellent stakeholder engagement and consultation is established, so those who want to can make their views known.
• Ensure in particular that the views of young people, their families and their experiences are heard and understood.
• Ensure that the Review team undertakes comprehensive qualitative and quantitative academic research to inform the review’s recommendations.
• Advise on the types of evidence that should be sought by the Review team, the methods for gathering that evidence and the interpretation, significance and relevance of the evidence.
• Ensure a full range of service delivery models are considered.
• Raise exceptional matters that may arise in the course of the Review.

Assurance Group membership

Members with proven expertise have been appointed by the Chair to provide advice and challenge on matters relating to the conduct of the Review.

Members are independent of NHS England and NHS Improvement and of providers of gender dysphoria services, and of any organisation or association that could reasonably be regarded as having a significant interest in the outcome of the Review.

The Assurance Group advises on the Review process and not its outcome. Professional and lived experience will be used to determine the outcome and recommendations of the Review and will be captured through our participative and consensus development approach.

Member	Current position	Expertise brought
Bobbie Farsides	Professor of Clinical and Biomedical Ethics, Brighton and Sussex Medical School	Clinical and research ethics
Emma Cave	Professor of Healthcare Law, Durham University	Medical law
Faith Gibson	Professor of Child Health and Cancer Care, University of Surrey	Children’s nursing and research in children’s health
Michael Linney	Retired Paediatrician, RCPCH Registrar 2017 – 2021	Paediatric medicine and governance
Page Nyame-Satterthwaite	Trustee, National Children’s Bureau	Children and young people’s engagement
Shelley Heard	Past Vice-President, Royal College of Pathologists	Workforce development
Sophie Andrews	Chief Executive, Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice	Children’s support and advocacy