Gender healthcare

The HSE plans to update how gender healthcare services are delivered in Ireland, with an aim of providing safe and effective healthcare for those seeking gender healthcare services.

To do this, it is producing a new Model of Care for Gender Healthcare. When complete, the HSE Model of Care for Gender Healthcare will provide a clinical framework for safe and effective delivery of gender healthcare services in Ireland.

The Model of Care is not intended to define what it means to be trans or gender diverse. It is understood that gender diversity is a human experience, and that gender diversity can be experienced differently be different people. Gender diverse people might include:

  • trans people
  • non-binary people
  • gender questioning people.

Gender diverse people should be respected in their identities, and in their right to express themselves.

Some gender diverse people transition, meaning that they move from being seen or understood as their birth gender, to being seen or understood as another gender. Gender diverse people who transition can explore their gender, socially transition, and legally transition, without needing healthcare services.

Some gender diverse people, as part of their transition process, may seek any or all of the following healthcare services:

  • Prescriptions for hormone therapy, such as puberty blockers, testosterone or oestrogen.
  • Prescriptions for other medication
  • Gender affirming surgery
  • Psychological assessment and support for gender dysphoria or gender incongruence
  • Other clinical and social care interventions and transition supports.

There are benefits and risks associated with these clinical interventions. The role of healthcare services is to make sure that healthcare interventions are delivered effectively and safely. The new Model of Care for gender healthcare in Ireland will outline how to safely and effectively deliver healthcare for those seeking gender healthcare services.

Two main elements will form the basis of the Model of Care:

  1. Evidence Base – a review of the available scientific and clinical research in gender healthcare.
  2. Experience Base – an understanding of the experience of service users, their families, healthcare workers working in gender healthcare, and other stakeholders.