Press Release Leia Sampson-Grimbly’s Death Ruled Preventable.

Press Release Leia Sampson-Grimbly’s Death Ruled Preventable.

 ‘EXTRAORDINARY DELAYS’ IN UK GENDER CARE”

PORTSMOUTH, UK – 8th Oct 2025.

TransLucent condemns the extraordinary delays in helping trans youth when experiencing gender dysphoria.

Leia Sampson-Grimbly, a 17-year-old girl described as “complex, kind, intelligent and determined” and “greatly loved by all who knew her,” took her own life in 2024 after months of struggling with her mental health while desperately seeking specialist treatment.

Senior Coroner Andrew Walker ruled that the waiting lists for a first appointment at the centre Leia sought help from—Camden’s Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust—were “far too long”.

Leia’s tragic deterioration was linked to the systemic failure of the healthcare system:

• As she waited many months for treatment, Leia faced persistent hostility and was exposed to harmful social media content inciting people like her to suicide.
• The Coroner stated that “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”.

TransLucent highlights that while the Senior Coroner urged the centre to do more to bring down waiting lists, the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust’s specialist gender clinic for children and young people was closed last year when Leia was seeking treatment. Services have since been transferred to new providers, although in many areas of the country, a service is not available.

The fact that a young person, seeking specialist help, was caught between impossible delays and the closure of the clinic itself underscores the ongoing crisis facing trans youth in the UK today.

“Leia Sampson-Grimbly’s death is a direct consequence of a healthcare system designed to delay, obstruct, and ultimately deny necessary medical treatment to vulnerable trans youth,” said a spokesperson for TransLucent.

TransLucent unequivocally condemns the near impossibility of receiving gender affirming healthcare for trans youth following the recent Cass review, which the organisation notes has been widely criticised by healthcare professionals worldwide.

The Tavistock Trust that it is engaging with the Coroner following the Prevention of Future Death report and offered its sincere condolences to Leia’s family.

Leia’s death, ruled preventable by a senior coroner, is a sad indictment of the UK government and NHS England’s failure to safeguard the lives of trans teenagers. Urgent, comprehensive action is needed in order to prevent further harm, including suicide, to young people seeking gender-affirming care.

About TransLucent: TransLucent is an award-winning trans advocacy organisation dedicated to fighting for the rights, safety, and equitable access to healthcare for trans people across the United Kingdom.

Media: contact@translucent.org.uk

LINK:   https://www.msn.com/en-gb/health/other/london-gender-clinic-s-waiting-list-far-too-long-says-coroner-after-teen-took-her-own-life/ar-AA1O0wEK