Hi Gloria,

Your request has been received and is currently being processed.

All the best,

Fraser Hopkins
Communications Manager
Phone 06 869 0500 ext 8115
[mobile number]
Address: Private Bag 7001, Gisborne 4040
http://www.tdh.org.nz
Facebook.com/Hauora Tairawhiti

-----Original Message-----
From: Gloria Fraser <[FOI #7914 email]>
Sent: Wednesday, 23 May 2018 4:31 PM
To: Communications Group <[email address]>
Subject: Official Information request - DHB gender-affirming healthcare services

Tēnā koutou,
I am writing to request information about the gender-affirming healthcare services provided by the Tairāwhiti District Health Board.

Could you please advise whether the following gender-affirming healthcare services are funded by the Tairāwhiti District Health Board 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?

Finally, could you please advise what the process is if transgender patients require one of the above services, but the Tairāwhiti District Health Board does not offer this service? Does the Tairāwhiti District Health Board currently fund patients to travel to other areas to access this healthcare?

If any part of my request is unclear, please don't hesitate to contact me.

If any of the information that I have requested is unavailable or would be difficult to retrieve, but similar information might be readily available, I would be happy to discuss altering or refining my request.

Ngā mihi,
Gloria Fraser

-------------------------------------------------------------------

This is an Official Information request made via the FYI website.

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #7914 email]

Is [Tairawhiti District Health Board request email] the wrong address for Official Information requests to Tairawhiti District Health Board? If so, please contact us using this form:
https://fyi.org.nz/change_request/new?bo...

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
https://fyi.org.nz/help/officers

If you find this service useful as an Official Information officer, please ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's OIA or LGOIMA page.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

________________________________

Please consider the environment before printing this email
Statement of confidentiality: This e-mail message and any accompanying attachments may contain information that is in confidence and subject to legal privilege. If you are not the intended recipient, do not read, use, disseminate, distribute, or copy this message or attachments. If you have received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately and delete this message.

hide quoted sections

On behalf Jim Green, Chief Executive, Hauora Tairâwhiti.

 

Kia ora Gloria,

 

Thank you for your email, in which you requested information under the
Official Information Act 1982.  You asked:

 

Could you please advise whether the following gender-affirming healthcare
services are funded by the Tairâwhiti District Health Board 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?

 

Finally, could you please advise what the process is if transgender
patients require one of the above services, but the Tairâwhiti District
Health Board does not offer this service? Does the Tairâwhiti District
Health Board currently fund patients to travel to other areas to access
this healthcare?

 

Hauora Tairâwhiti’s response is: 

- Hormone therapy - Yes

- Mastectomy - Yes

- Hysterectomy - Yes

- Orchidectomy - Yes

- Facial hair removal - No

- Breast augmentation - No

- Voice training- No

 

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? - Yes, though community mental health psychologist

- In the case of hormone therapy, can primary health providers prescribe
hormones, or does this have to be initially approved by an
endocrinologist? - Community clinic and a few Gps who have interest

- Is any period of real life experience required to access surgery? - 2
years of hormonal treatment

 

Finally, could you please advise what the process is if transgender
patients require one of the above services, but the Tairâwhiti District
Health Board does not offer this service? Does the Tairâwhiti District
Health Board currently fund patients to travel to other areas to access
this healthcare?

We do not fund the services out district that are not provided in
district, however there is a national funding pool for access to gender
reassignment surgery to which we do refer people to. That service is
provided in Australia at present.

 

If you are not satisfied with this response you may contact the Office of
the Ombudsmen, phone 0800 802 602.

 

Naku noa, na

 

 

 
Fraser Hopkins
Communications Manager
Phone 06 869 0500 ext 8115
[mobile number]
Address: Private Bag 7001,
Gisborne 4040
[1]http://www.tdh.org.nz
[2]Facebook.com/Hauora Tairawhiti
[3]cid:image003.jpg@01D3F81F.47D14CD0

 

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Please consider the environment before printing this email
Statement of confidentiality: This e-mail message and any accompanying
attachments may contain information that is in confidence and subject to
legal privilege. If you are not the intended recipient, do not read, use,
disseminate, distribute, or copy this message or attachments. If you have
received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately and
delete this message.

References

Visible links
1. http://www.tdh.org.nz/
2. https://www.facebook.com/Hauora.Tairawhi...

hide quoted sections