NHS conducting review as suicide of 17-year-old trans girl is deemed ‘preventable’ by coroner
"Having to battle with changes to her body without receiving the necessary preventative treatment," said senior coroner Andrew Walker
By Aaron Sugg
The NHS is conducting a review into adult gender dysphoria services following the death of 17-year-old Leia Sampson-Grimbly, which has now been deemed “preventable”.
The trans teenager died by suicide in 2024 while waiting to be seen by the NHS’s Tavistock and Portman Gender Identity Clinic.
The Tavistock Centre, the UK’s only NHS gender clinic for young people, was closed in 2024 following recommendations from the Cass Review.
“The many hurdles and setbacks, gradually eroded her belief” – Andrew Walker on the wait list for gender affirming care
Since then, senior coroner Andrew Walker has ruled that her death was preventable, stating that the clinic’s “far too long” waiting times contributed to her deteriorating mental health.
“Having to battle with changes to her body without receiving the necessary preventative treatment, together with the many hurdles and setbacks, gradually eroded her belief that she would succeed and everything would be alright,” he said in a statement.
The former clinic has been gradually replaced by regional hubs across England and Wales.
“Making significant progress in helping to bring down these very long waits” – James Palmer on regional hubs bringing down wait lists for trans youth
NHS England’s medical director for specialised services, Professor James Palmer, said in a statement: “This is why we have commissioned an independently led review into the operation and delivery of the adult gender dysphoria clinics, alongside work already undertaken to introduce new care models that are making significant progress in helping to bring down these very long waits.”
A spokesperson for the trust said: “Our sincere condolences go to the family. The trust is engaging with the coroner following the Prevention of Future Death report.”
Claire’s Trans Talks revealed that, as of March 2025, 48,000 people were waiting for a first appointment at one of the UK’s 15 gender clinics.
This story echoes the tragedy of other young trans people like Alice Litman, whose death in 2023 was also found to be linked to extraordinary delays in accessing gender-affirming care.
Her mother, and Attitude Award winner, Caroline Litman, spoke exclusively to Attitude last year, highlighting the obstacles: “All these barriers sap you of your energy, and you feel very unimportant, hopeless, and that nobody wants to help you,” she said.
For more information and support, please contact Samaritans on 116 123 or LGBT Switchboard on 0800 0119100.