Kia ora,

I am writing to request information about the gender-affirming healthcare services provided by the Southern District Health Board, as a follow up to a similar request I made in May 2018.

Could you please advise whether the following gender-affirming healthcare services are funded by the Southern District Health Board for transgender patients, and whether the services are currently available:

- Puberty blockers
- Hormone therapy
- Mastectomy
- Hysterectomy
- Orchidectomy
- Facial hair removal
- Breast augmentation
- Voice training
- Facial feminization surgery

Could you please also advise:

- Are transgender healthcare providers under the Southern District Health Board encouraged to follow Oliphant et al’s (2018) Guidelines for gender affirming healthcare for gender diverse and transgender children, young people and adults in Aotearoa New Zealand? If not, which guidelines do they follow, if any?

- Is a readiness assessment required to access gender-affirming healthcare services? (This is an assessment of readiness for treatment from a medical and psychosocial perspective, as well as whether the client understands the risks and benefits of treatment, and is sometimes referred to as a ‘mental health assessment’).

- If a readiness assessment is required to access gender-affirming healthcare services, who carries out this assessment? Is this assessment funded by the Southern District Health Board? Does the assessment use an informed consent model?

- What steps is the Southern District Health Board taking to improve healthcare provision for transgender New Zealanders?

If you require any clarification about this request, please let me know.

Ngā mihi,
Gloria