25 June 2018
P. Lamborn
via email
E-mail:
[FYI request #7905 email]
Dear Mr Lamborn,
Official Information Act (1982) Request
I write in response to your Official Information Act request, regarding surgical techniques for gender
reassignment surgery for trans-women (vaginoplasty) and trans-men (phal oplasty). On 29 May 2018,
the Ministry of Health transferred one of your questions to us under Section 14 of the Act.
The specific part of the request transferred to CMDHB is:
“What surgical techniques (for both vaginoplastry and phal soplasty) are to be performed by Dr
Rita Yang?”
Dr Yang is employed by CM Health as a Consultant (Senior Medical Officer) Plastic Surgeon to further
the ability of the Plastic Surgery Department to meet the reconstructive surgery needs of the regional
community. Dr Yang is a ful y-trained Plastic Surgeon, who has undertaken additional post-graduate
training in a ful range of microvascular and transgender procedures. At CM Health, Ms Yang is not
currently performing either of the procedures you specify; and therefore we cannot further define the
techniques used for any procedures.
Please refer to the ‘Gender Reassignment Surgery’ page on the Ministry of Health website, for the
agreed current New Zealand clinical practices related to access to surgeries for gender re-assignment:
• https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/preventative-health-wellness/delivering-health-
services-transgender-people/gender-reassignment-surgery
I trust this information satisfactorily answers your query. If you are not satisfied with this response you
are entitled to seek a review of the response by the Ombudsman under section 28(3) of the Official
Information Act.
Please note that this response or an edited version of this may be published on the Counties Manukau
DHB website.
Yours sincerely,
Gloria Johnson
Chief Executive (Acting) Counties Manukau District Health Board
19 Lambie Drive, Manukau, Auckland 2104 | Private Bag 94052, Manukau, Auckland 2241
T: 09 276 0000 | cmdhb.org.nz
