Written answers
Tuesday, 9 April 2024
Department of Health
Health Services
Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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1514. To ask the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 1334 of 20 March 2024, if the National Gender Service does not follow the 2017 "Endocrine Treatment of Gender-Dysphoric/Gender-Incongruent Persons: An Endocrine Society* Clinical Practice Guideline" when considering dosages and hormone levels. [14898/24]
Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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1515. To ask the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 1334 of 20 March 2024, if the National Gender Service does not use any biochemical reference ranges for hormones for patients in their care. [14899/24]
Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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1516. To ask the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 1334 of 20 March 2024, if there are any circumstances where National Gender Service would consider oestradiol levels in a trans woman below 100 pmol/L or above 600 pmol/L to be of any concern. [14900/24]
Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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1517. To ask the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 1334 of 20 March 2024, if the National Gender Service can provide an example scenario, including specific hormone levels, where "hormone levels can be measure to guide treatment decisions in some scenarios, such as requests to increase hormone doses. [14901/24]
Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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1518. To ask the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 1334 of 20 March 2024, if the National Gender Service agrees that advising GPs not to provide hormone blood tests will prevent other medical teams from having information they might need for dosage increases. [14902/24]
Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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1519. To ask the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 1334 of 20 March 2024, if the National Gender Service agrees that clinicians outside their services can use their own clinical judgement when it comes to target to treat approaches and biochemical reference ranges. [14903/24]
Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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1520. To ask the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 1334 of 20 March 2024, what the National Gender Service advises for trans patients on hormones with other services who are unable to access hormone level blood tests. [14904/24]
Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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1521. To ask the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 560 of 20 February 2024, to ask the National Gender Service if the referenced paper underlies their model of care. [14905/24]
Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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1522. To ask the Minister for Health if the National Gender Service is aware of EMA/147755/2020 "restrictions in use of cyproterone due to meningioma risk" and the 2021 paper "Toward a Lowest Effective Dose of Cyproterone Acetate in Trans Women: Results From the ENIGI Study"; and what initial dose they use for cyproterone acetate. [14906/24]
Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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1523. To ask the Minister for Health when his Department requested the formation of the 2018 IEHG Steering Group for the Development of a National Gender Service; and if he will provide a copy of the request to do so. [14907/24]
Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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My Department is investigating this request and officials will follow up with the Deputy directly.
Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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1524. To ask the Minister for Health if he is aware of recent newspaper reports that staff of the Office of the Chief Clinical Officer are supporting a UK legal case which seeks to make it harder for transgender adults to access healthcare (details supplied); and if he agrees that this compromises the impartiality of the planned development of a new transgender model of care. [14908/24]
Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I do not believe it would be appropriate for me to comment on legal proceedings taking place in another jurisdiction.
As the Deputy is aware, the HSE has identified the need to develop an updated and integrated Model of Care for transgender services, informed by the best evidence-based clinical evidence and input from healthcare professionals, patient advocates and those with lived experience.
The Clinical Lead for transgender services has now been appointed and will take up the position shortly. Once in place, this person will lead a team to develop the new model of care.
Developing a Model of Care for gender healthcare services is expected to be a complex process and the HSE and my Department will work closely together to support the process, ensure transparency and keep the patient at the centre of the process.
I welcome the development of a model of care which will deliver a high quality seamless and integrated service for people with gender identity issues.
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