This is an HTML version of an attachment to the Official Information request 'Sexual Reassignment Surgery Funding'.
From:    "Laird Madison [TDHB]" <[email address]>
To:      "'[email address]'" <[email address]>,
Date:    22/07/2015 01:53 p.m.
Subject:         RE: Gender Reassignment Surgery - referral process and waiting list management



I hope that the advisors have little enough prejudice that would allow them to choose an institution in Bangkok rather than Australia. Exceedingly fine, sophisticated, modern, safe hospitals in Bangkok with clear World leadership in the surgical issues. Cheaper too. Just had a patient who had the “works” done - $15,000 US. 2 week stay.

Can you direct me to the high cost application documents? I imagine it is more than just a letter.

Laird Madison
(06)753 6139
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From: [email address] [mailto:[email address]]
Sent:
Wednesday, 22 July 2015 1:47 p.m.
To:
Laird Madison [TDHB]
Cc:
[email address]
Subject:
RE: Gender Reassignment Surgery - referral process and waiting list management

Good afternoon Laird, I share your frustration. I am hoping that we will get approval to increase the volume of surgeries we are mandated to provide for GRS in the not too distant future.

So as I said in the email below please advise patients fully of the situation and if they still wish to be considered put them on the W/L, at least that way they will have a place.


Regards,

Ailsa Jacobson
Senior Advisor

CVD Diabetes Long Term Conditions
Personal Health Service Improvement

Sector Capability and Implementation
Ministry of Health
DDI: 04 496 2496

Available: Tuesday morning. Wednesday Thursday and Friday


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From: "Laird Madison [TDHB]" <hyperlink>
To:
"'[email address]'" <hyperlink>,
Cc:
"Steve Berendsen [TDHB]" <hyperlink>
Date:
20/07/2015 02:30 p.m.
Subject:
RE: Gender Reassignment Surgery - referral process and waiting list management





Why in Gods name put a patient on a 40 year waiting list? Isn’t 40 years outrageous enough for the Government to admit failure – they want the list to grow? I suppose they do, that makes it much more an intractable problem and puts it into the “too hard” category. I think it is just inflicting cruel, cynical, hopelessness on the patient –generate a false sense that something is being done –
“I’m on the waiting list at least

I do not understand “waiting lists”. We don’t have them in the US. Unless the patient dies, you have the work to do anyway – why not just do it?


Health care here measures things by waiting lists not clinical need. I got my waiting lists down in clinic through extra work hours, and effort and then was told that there wasn’t much demand for diabetes or endocrine services and certainly no need for another endocrinologists, because after all, I had short waiting lists. Guess what I did? I now have long waiting lists.


Strange that there is no waiting list to buy a car or pay your taxes.


Laird Madison

(06)753 6139

hyperlink
Note:
This message is for the named person's use only. It may contain confidential information No confidentiality or privilege is waived or lost by any mistransmission. No authorization is granted for disclosing, forwarding or retransmitting this messages content without the senders permission. If you receive this message in error, please immediately delete it and all copies of it from your system, destroy any hard copies of it and notify the sender.. Any views expressed in this message are those of the individual sender.