David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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1218. To ask the Minister for Health if he will conduct an independent review of the national gender service and of related healthcare capacity in the State to unwind the reliance on outsourcing to gender health services in Britain; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63466/22]

Frank Feighan (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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A model of care for transgender children, adolescents and adults was developed by the HSE Quality Improvement Division. The HSE model of care is underpinned by a local response model including general practice, psychology and CAMHS, working with specialist mental health and endocrinology services. Complex cases would be referred onto tertiary specialist care. The model of care is partly implemented within community services. The model of care deals with services for children and adults. Children can be referred to paediatric up until the age of 18 years. An adult service is provided by the national gender service in St Colmcille’s Hospital. 

A steering committee which was established to examine the development of the HSE transgender identity services produced a report in 2020. This committee included representatives of all stakeholders, including advocacy representatives, and was chaired by Dr Siobhan Ni Bhriain on behalf of the chief clinical officer. The report acknowledged the additional funding made available to develop services in recent years. It also advised on the development of seamless interfaces between agencies providing gender services. The committee agreed a job description for a consultant psychiatrist in child and adolescent psychiatry in CHO 7 and CHI to develop the service for those aged under 18 (and to replace the current system of psychological support provided by the Tavistock Clinic). This consultant psychiatrist would develop and lead a multi-disciplinary team to support the delivery of gender identity services for those under 18. This position has been advertised twice but is not yet filled. 

The Minister for Health and the Minister for Mental Health and Older People held a constructive meeting with a number of clinicians from the National Gender Service. The Minister for Health also held a subsequent meeting with TENI. It is intended that a number of other meetings clinicians and stakeholders in this area will be held to hear the range of views and proposals.

I am committed to the development by the HSE of a well-governed and patient-centred health care service for adults and children in the transgender community, in line with the Programme for Government.