A NEWPORT resident who plans to make the transition to become male has welcomed news of gender identity services coming to Wales for the first time.

It was announced last week that transgender people in Wales will be able to access hospital-based gender identity services this year.

The service, which will begin to be put into place in the autumn, will allow GPs to refer people directly to a new Welsh Gender Team.

Currently there is no gender identity clinic in Wales, meaning transgender people need to travel to London for hormone therapy or other treatments.

Gavin Cueto, of Maesglas Crescent, Newport, who is currently waiting to undergo surgery, welcomed the recent announcement by the Welsh Government.

Mr Cueto said: “I wish this could have happened sooner. I’ve been waiting for months and there’s no clinics I can go to locally.

“I welcome the news because it’s good for people like myself to get the treatment that we need.”

The 20-year-old added: “At the moment people are having to go to London or other far away places. “But soon they will have clinics on their doorstep.

“At the moment I’m having to go to Brighton and that isn’t particularly great because it’s far away.

“Having clinics in Wales will make things much easier for us.

The new service will initially facilitate the prescribing of medication for those who have already attended appointments at London clinics, but will begin accepting new referrals from March next year.

Mr Cueto said: “My top surgery is finally taking place on October 31 in Brighton - I just hope others won’t have to wait as long as me.”

Wales’ health secretary Vaughan Gething said last week: “Over the last few years, we have seen an increase in demand for transgender health services in Wales.

“As part of our commitment to improve health and wellbeing for all, this year we made additional funding available within the Welsh Government budget to improve gender identity provision in Wales. “The new services I’m announcing means all but the most specialist services will soon be delivered in Wales, closer to people’s homes, which will improve access and experience for people needing care.”