‘Transgender Healthcare’ was the focus of the Transgender South-East Conference 2013. Held in February, it aimed to de-mystify the healthcare needs of transgender people and their families.Participants heard that 32% of health and social care workers had provided treatment to a transgender person, but only 10 per cent of them had any training in the issues involved.* […]

‘Transgender Healthcare’ was the focus of the Transgender South-East Conference 2013. Held in February, it aimed to de-mystify the healthcare needs of transgender people and their families.
Participants heard that 32% of health and social care workers had provided treatment to a transgender person, but only 10 per cent of them had any training in the issues involved.*
REPORT BY ROBERT McNAMARA.

The conference was attended by 140 people and supported through funding from Waterford Area Partnership (WAP).“This year we targeted transgender healthcare, focusing on best practice worldwide to facilitate a learning process for service providers that never existed before in Ireland,” said organiser Vanessa Lacey of Transgender Equality Network Ireland (TENI).


Guest speaker Dr Jamison Green of the World Professional Association of Transgender Health talked of international best practice.
Among other guest speakers was Dr. Thomas Ahern of St Colmcille’s Hospital, Loughlinstown, who spoke about endrocrinology and hormone therapy for transgender people in Ireland.
The day was facilitated by a partnership between WAP, the HSE, TENI and TRANSE, a community group supporting transgender people in the South East.
The chairperson of the Oireachtas Committee for Health and Children, Jerry Buttimer, TD, opened the conference.
Should workers in other communities have any queries, contact WAP directly. T: 051-841740. E: info@wap.ie W: www.wap.ie
·        The HSE Transgender Health Advisory Group carried out a survey in 2012 among health and social care workers and 41% of respondents described their knowledge of transgender health issues as poor or non-existent.