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Archived Information for Medical Professionals

GIRES plenary presentation at the LGBT Health Summit – 6 September 2010

Commissioners and providers of health and social services face major challenges in caring for the trans community. The rapid growth in the number of people, of all ages, who are seeking medical treatment for profound and persistent gender dysphoria is placing an increasing strain on both health and social services for trans people in the UK.

In addition to handling this growth in demand, these services have to upgrade their practices in line with (a) the improved standards set by international guidelines, (b) the approaches followed in advanced overseas countries, (c) the needs expressed by service users and (d) the duties imposed on them by the Equality Act 2010 and other legislation. Unless these services are expanded and improved, the emotional health and wellbeing of trans people will be placed at increasing risk. As well as describing the magnitude and nature of this task, the presentation includes practical suggestions about the most effective way in which commissioners and providers can respond.

Document: LGBT Health Summit 2010 (PDF, 2MB)

Guidelines for health organisations commissioning treatment services for trans people

Foreword by Lynne Jones MP

These guidelines have been produced by the Parliamentary Forum for Gender Identity to assist commissioners to make appropriate decisions in respect of providing funding for all aspects of the treatment required by people experiencing any degree of gender dysphoria. They are complementary to the Department of Health’s publication “Guidance for GPs, other clinicians and health professionals on the care of gender variant people” (PDF, 315KB)

The Forum comprises Parliamentarians and the UK’s leading experts on gender identity, in both the legal and medical fields, including Professor Kevan Wylie, Chair of the Committee set up by the Royal College of Psychiatrists in collaboration with the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons and other colleges and societies to develop new standards of care for the treatment of trans people. Many of the leading advocates from the trans community also take part in our work, including those who have been instrumental in liaising with ministers and senior civil servants to bring about the successful passage and implementation of the Gender Recognition Act 2004.

I would like to acknowledge the work done to compile this document for the Forum by the Gender Identity Research and Education Society (GIRES).

Document: Guidelines for health organisations commissioning treatment services for trans people (PDF, 278KB)

Nursing and Midwifery Council Trans Policy and Guidance

The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) has commissioned the Gender Identity Research and Education Society (GIRES) to prepare comprehensive transgender policy and guidance to cover NMC staff and registrants (the Guide). It will include advice on responding to trans service users.

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) welcomes this initiative and will assist GIRES in communicating with and obtaining feedback from its members about the Guide.

The Guide should be helpful to all NMC staff and registrants, especially those who are transgender. It will also be accessible members of the trans community and those who care for them, including family members as well as professional service providers and employers.

The Guide should cover NMC’s employment of trans people, regulation of trans nurses and midwives and care for trans service users. As well as providing information relating to each specific topic selected for inclusion, the Guide will serve as a signposting mechanism to the rich array of existing relevant material already produced by the NMC, RCN and other organisations.

The primary means for providing access to the Guide will be electronic. It could be hosted on the NMC website. In addition some elements of the Guide might be published in printed form, for instance advice on caring for trans service users. The NMC will use social media to disseminate information about the availability of the Guide.

The topics to be covered include:

  • Relationship with the NMC’s standards as well as its equality and diversity policy
  • Respecting trans people
  • The nature of gender variance
  • Prevalence, incidence and growth
  • Terminology
  • Legal factors
  • Employment policy, including transition at work and encouraging trans job applicants
  • Registration and name change
  • Call handling
  • Support groups and advisory services
  • Medical care for trans people of all ages, including specialist and non-specialist services, as well as in-patient secure and non-secure accommodation
  • Curriculum and training for staff and registrants
  • Risk factors, including suicidality and self-harm; sexual health; drugs, alcohol and tobacco; exercise, sport and diet; and transphobic crime
  • Discrimination, including religious aspects
  • Monitoring trans staff members and service users, as well as workforce attitudes towards them

An executive summary will also be provided.

GIRES will engage widely with the trans community throughout the project. To obtain expert advice, it is establishing a focus group of trans nurses and midwives. If you wish to contribute to that work, please contact the GIRES trustee, Bernard Reed who is managing the project

Document: American Medical Association policy statement on care for Care for Transgender Patients (PDF, 75KB)

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