In 2015, the Department of Health invited key figures from mental health organisations such as the
Royal College of Psychiatrists,
British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), and the
UK Council for Psychotherapy to compile the MoU to attempt to abolish the practice of conversion therapy. 13 of the United Kingdom's major psychological bodies came together to pass a Memorandum disowning the practice. The original version did not include transgender or
asexual people. The 2017 MoU, headed by Dr. Igi Moon, was signed by organisations such as
NHS England, the
British Psychoanalytic Council, and the
Royal College of General Practitioners. It defined conversion therapy as: a therapeutic approach, or any model or individual viewpoint that demonstrates any assumption that any sexual orientation or gender identity is inherently preferable to any other, and which attempts to bring about a change of sexual orientation or gender identity or seeks to suppress an individual's expression of sexual orientation or gender identity on that basis. Parliament argued conversion therapy was not a major issue and that the MoU was enough to discourage the practice in 2017, though multiple evangelical organisations continue to advocate and practice conversion therapy. The
Coalition Against Conversion Therapy published an open letter calling for the ban to include all forms of conversion therapy. The director of gender-critical campaign group
Transgender Trend criticised the letter, highlighting the interim report of the
Cass Review. In April 2024 the
UK Council for Psychotherapy withdrew from the Memorandum and membership of the Coalition against Conversion Therapy on the grounds of not wanting to oppose exploratory therapy for trans young people. Dr. Moon, head of the MoU, stated "It is with great regret that any organisation would want to leave the MOUv2 whose aim is to bring an end to conversion therapy" and "The MOU does not ask therapists to practise any model of therapy, all therapy models are exploratory to some degree". Despite the withdrawal, UKCP still states that it is against "all forms of conversion therapy" and encourages filings of complaints if any conversion therapy is practiced by UKCP members. == Signatories ==