23 June 2023
Kate Popham
[FYI request #22846 email]
Tēnā koe Kate
Your request for official information, reference: HNZ00019919
Thank you for your email on 25 May 2023, asking for information about
orchidectomies, which has been considered under the Of icial Information Act 1982
(the Act). Please find a response to each part of your request below, by district.
“Information on the number of people who have been assessed and referred for a
Bilateral Scrotal Orchidectomy, within the Auckland region (formerly Waitematā,
Auckland, and Counties Manukau District Health Boards), who have not undergone
the procedure yet.
When disclosing this information please ensure: - That the number of cisgender men
and transgender persons who are on this waitlist are shown separately, for the sake
of contrast and comparison - That the average wait time of both groups from date of
referral to date of surgery is indicated - That individuals who have been referred to a
urology department but not yet been booked for the surgery, as well as individuals
who have been booked in but have yet to receive the operation, are included (these
do not need to be shown separately) Additionally, please include the number of
orchidectomies that have been performed each year from 2018 to the present day
and, if possible, separate these figures by gender identity (ie. into categories of
'cisgender' and 'transgender') as well.”
Waitematā
Waitematā does not perform orchidectomies and therefore has no information to provide on
the above.
Counties Manukau
Please note, all data less than 5 has been reported this way to protect the potential of
patients being identifiable. This information is withheld under section 9(2)(a) of the Act to
protect the privacy of natural persons.
Al patients on waitlist for urology scrotal surgery, that are stil waiting
Procedure
Cisgender
Transgender
Bilateral Orchidectomy
<5
0
The average wait time for cisgender and transgender from referral to date of surgery
including those who have been referred to a urology department but not yet been
booked for the surgery as well as individuals who have been booked in but have yet
to receive the operation.
Gender Category
Average waitlist duration in days
Cisgender
54
Transgender
140
Total
101
Al patients booked for bilateral orchidectomy and had their surgery performed
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
Total
Cisgender
<5
<5
0
<5
<5
0
6
Transgender 0
0
<5
0
0
<5
<5
Auckland
Te Toka Tumai Auckland provides orchidectomies for gender affirmation surgery. We also
provide orchidectomies for Counties Manukau patients who may require more specialist
anaesthetic care than is available at Manukau Super Clinic. We do not provide
orchidectomies to cis-males unless they have a testicular cancer diagnosis.
Please note that patients are not referred for an orchidectomy. They are referred for a
urology first specialist appointment (FSA).
Number of cisgender men and transgender person who are on the waitlist.
The average wait time for both groups from date of referral to date of surgery.
There are currently no patients on the waitlist.
What is the number of individuals who have been referred to a urology department
but not yet booked for surgery, as well as individuals who have been booked in but
have yet to receive the operation.
This part of your request is refused under section 18(e) of the Act as the information
requested does not exist. The bilateral scrotal orchidectomy procedure is only considered
after an individual has met with the urology first specialist service and a decision has been
made to book them for this procedure. The patient is then entered into the booking system.
What is the number of orchidectomies that have been performed each year from
2018 to present (separated by gender identity – cisgender or transgender)
Due to the small numbers of patients who have undergone bilateral scrotal orchidectomies
between 2018 to the present with no insertion of prosthetics, information on the breakdown
of gender identity by year as well as all data less than five is withheld under section 9(2)(a)
of the Act, to protect the privacy of natural persons. However, we can advise that overall, 9
out of 30 completed operations from 2018 to present have a gender recorded as male.
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
Total
Number
5
<5
<5
7
9
<5
30
How to get in touch
If you have any questions, you can contact us at
[email address].
If you are not happy with this response, you have the right to make a complaint to the
Ombudsman. Information about how to do this is available at
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or by phoning 0800 802 602.
As this information may be of interest to other members of the public, Te Whatu Ora may
proactively release a copy of this response on our website. Al requester data, including your
name and contact details, wil be removed prior to release.
Nāku iti noa, nā
Michael Cleary
Acting OIA Manager
Government Services
TeWhatuOra.govt.nz
Te Whatu Ora, PO Box 793,
Wel ington 6140, New Zealand
