Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 21 April 2021
1715. Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill asked the Minister for Health the additional specialised staff that have been recruited in the area of transgender healthcare including endocrinologists, social workers, speech and language therapists, senior psychologists, clinical nurse specialists and administrative support officers in line with action 19.1 of the National LGBTI+ Inclusion Strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18752/21]
View answer1716. Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill asked the Minister for Health the steps that have been taken to develop transgender health services for children and adults in Ireland with a clear transition pathway from child to adult services in line with action 19.2 of the National LGBTI+ Inclusion Strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18753/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1715 and 1716 together.
Government policy in relation to LGBTI+ citizens is set out in the National LGBTI+ Inclusion Strategy and the LGBTI+ National Youth Strategy, which fall under the responsibility of the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality, Integration and Youth. The National LGBTI+ Inclusion Strategy aims to improve the lives of the LGBTI+ citizens of Ireland through the promotion of inclusion, protection of rights and the improvement of the quality of life and wellbeing for LGBTI+ people. The LGBTI+ National Youth Strategy is an action-oriented mission to ensure all LGBTI+ young people are visible, valued and included, and arose from the National Youth Strategy which identified LGBT young people as a specific group to be considered in the context of focused provision for marginalised/disadvantaged young people.
Together these strategies play an important part in achieving the Government's broader commitment to continue to strive for the full inclusion of LGBTI+ people in Irish society. Actions relating to the health of LGBTI+ citizens fall to the Department of Health and the HSE.
A proposed model of care for transgender children, adolescents and adults has been developed by the HSE Quality Improvement Division. The model provides the framework for the development of National Gender Clinics and MDTs for children and adults. The emerging evidence on good outcomes following medical and/or surgical transitioning is based on use of multi-disciplinary psychosocial assessment, fulfilment of criteria for hormones and on-going psychological support throughout the process. Local and international evidence increasingly suggests that this multidisciplinary approach should be led by a child psychiatrist with an interest in child and adolescent gender identity.
Currently the HSE is working on the further development of multidisciplinary gender care delivery in Ireland (including gender clinics) both in services for Children & Adolescents and for Adults.
New posts for the service include:
one consultant endocrinologist (adult services),
one consultant endocrinologist (paediatric services),
one social worker (adult services),
one speech and language therapist (adult services),
one senior psychologist (adult services),
one senior psychologist (paediatric services),
one clinical nurse specialist (Paediatric services),
two administrative support officers (adult and paediatric services).
This investment is a concerted measure by the HSE to address the waiting times and immediate service needs of children, adolescents and adults in transition.
The Department of Health is 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.
