2 May 2025
Tasmin Ray Thorburn
[FYI request #30658 email]
Tēnā koe Tasmin
Your request for official information, reference: HNZ00085140 Thank you for your email on 8 April 2025, asking Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora for the
following under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act):
My request is regarding the Gender Affirming (Genital) Surgery Service.
Specifically how long on average it takes them to process referrals to the
waitlist for a first specialist assessment. From the time of receiving a referral
from a specialist or GP, to said referral being either accepted or denied. As
well as what percentage of referals (sic) are eventually denied.
Response
For the sake of clarity, I will address each question in turn.
Specifically how long on average it takes them to process referrals to the waitlist for a
first specialist assessment. From the time of receiving a referral from a specialist or
GP, to said referral being either accepted or denied.
To provide you with further context in terms of your request. Please note, all referrals
received are reviewed to ensure they are complete and the appropriate referral
documentation is provided. The referral documentation includes all the relevant physical,
social and mental health history, and clinical reports as outlined in the referral form.
Referrals that meet criteria received in a month are then submitted at the beginning of the
following month to the clinical team. This team then reviews the referral and assesses if the
referral should be added to the waiting list for a First Specialist Assessment or declined.
Confirmation that the referral has been accepted or declined is usually advised within two
months of a referral initially being received.
Our response, as per your request, refers to the timeframe for acceptance/decline to the
waiting list for a First Specialist Assessment with a clinician and not the timeframe from
referral to surgery.
As well as what percentage of referals (sic) are eventually denied.
Approximately 16 percent of referrals (based on waiting list data as at 28 April 2025) are declined
for a variety of reasons, including, for example: not meeting criteria; the patient is unfit; the referral
to the service is for a procedure not undertaken by the gender affirming genital surgery service.
Expanding upon the reasons a referral to the service may be declined include:
• A patient being a smoker or having a BMI above 35
• The referrer submitting an incomplete form or not providing the required
information/supporting documents
• The provided documentation indicating that a patient is not physically and/or mentally fit to
have an anaesthetic and undertake a complex surgical procedure
• That due to significant and lengthy preparation requirements, the surgeries being long and
highly complex, and recovery times and specific post operative care expectations to be
met, a patient may not be accepted if clinically deemed unable to meet those demands.
In addition, a patient's circumstances may change after they have been accepted onto the waiting
list for a First Specialist Assessment, and this may result in them being declined to progress further
having already been accepted.
Further information about the gender affirming genital surgery service on the Health New Zealand
website can be found at
The Gender Affirming (genital) Surgery Service – Health New Zealand |
Te Whatu Ora.
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 a
t www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or
by phoning 0800 802 602.
Nāku iti noa, nā
Mary Cleary-Lyons
Director
National Clinical Networks
TeWhatuOra.govt.nz
Health NZ, PO Box 793,
Wellington 6140, New Zealand
