A charity representing British transsexuals has expressed dismay at Hounslow Primary Care Trust's proposal to stop funding for sex change operations.

The PCT is planning to cut gender reassignment treatments next financial year along with other "non-essential operations" - such as tattoo removal, stomach stapling and breast reductions - as it struggles to balance its books.

But the Gender Trust said the move "would put medicine back 30 years in its understanding of what transsexualism is".

Rebecca Dittman, chairman of the board of trustees of the charity, said: "We believe cost-cutting cannot justify removing essential treatment from this vulnerable group. Our fear is that the Hounslow PCT would ultimately find itself spending much more by providing psychological support for affected individuals and by defending anti-discrimination cases in the courts."

Gender reassignment consists of hormonal and surgical treatments to allow people to adjust their bodies to match their internal sense of being either male or female.

NHS guidelines state that reassignment is the only appropriate treatment for people with a clear diagnosis of transsexualism, the Gender Trust said.

And Ms Dittman said the procedure was successful in 98 per cent of cases.

A Hounslow PCT spokesman said: "The PCT appreciates the difficulties which these commissioning intentions may present for our service users, their carers and service providers, but would ask all our stakeholders to work with us to minimise the detriment to patients and make best use of the limited resources which we have available.

"The document is at consultation stage and the Trust will take into consideration all comments received, including those from The Gender Trust.

"The closing date for comments is 5 January 5. Following this, comments will be reviewed, and the document finalised for the approval of the PCT Board on February 1."