Gender Affirming Health Services

I write in response to your Official Information Act request received by us 19th September 2020 you requested the following information:

Could you please advise whether the following gender-affirming healthcare services are funded by this DHB for transgender patients, and whether the services are currently available:

• Hormone therapy
• Mastectomy
• Hysterectomy
• Orchidectomy
• Facial hair removal
• Breast augmentation
• Voice training

Could you please provide information about the process of accessing those services that are available?

• Specifically, is an assessment by a mental health professional required in order to access gender-affirming healthcare services? If so, which services?
• In the case of hormone therapy, can primary health providers prescribe hormones, or does this have to be initially approved by an endocrinologist?
• Is any period of real life experience required to access surgery?
• Could you please advise what the process is if transgender patients require one of the above services, but the DHB does not offer this service? Does the DHB currently fund patients to travel to other areas to access this healthcare?

Files

• OIA17092020 STRONGMAN Gender Affirming Health Services Redacted