To mark Trans Day of Visibility on Thursday 31 March, Australia's peak trans health body AusPATH has launched the Australian Informed Consent Standards of Care for Gender Affirming Hormone Therapy.
These new national Standards of Care are intended to assist and enable clinicians across Australia to better meet the medical gender affirmation needs of their trans women, trans men and non-binary patients. They unapologetically centre the trans person seeking hormonal intervention and empower the clinician to facilitate this access.
These guidelines reflect the consensus of AusPATH's active membership, and as Australia's peak body for professionals involved in the health, rights and well-being of all trans people, binary and non-binary, it is entirely appropriate AusPATH to develop and publish them. The AusPATH Board is proud to have majority trans Directors, with all Sub-Committees inclusive of trans health professionals. AusPATH's Board and Sub-Committees also include incredible cis allies.
Dr Fiona Bisshop, AusPATH President said:
"As a GP in Brisbane, I've been seeing trans people in my practice for 20 years. Often by the time they come to me they've been waiting months and years because their own GP wasn't confident or didn't understand. Over the last few years, AusPATH has supported hundreds of GP colleagues across Australia to deliver the lifesaving intervention of gender affirming hormones, this Standard of Care will ensure all doctors have access to the right localised information so they can feel competent and confident with their trans patients."
Teddy Cook, AusPATH Vice-President said:
"It was important that AusPATH produce this Standard of Care through collaboration and consensus building, for our members, the broader medical community and most importantly for those trans people seeking hormonal affirmation. AusPATH affirms trans people's right to self-determine their own futures, we hope these guidelines enable our doctors to be the trusted gender affirming clinician they want to be."
Dr Clara Tuck Meng Soo, AusPATH Director said:
"I've been a GP in Canberra since 1993, and working with trans people has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life, particularly as one of the few trans doctors in Australia. These guidelines have been developed and reviewed by the full AusPATH Board and every Sub-Committee, to whom we say thank you."
Maggie Smith, AusPATH Director said:
"Gender affirming medical care is so much more than hormones, it's about building trust and offering reassurance, listening to the patient, and believing them, facilitating access to the community and advocating where necessary. The relationship between patient and gender affirming clinician is profound, in many cases it's lifesaving. These guidelines offer clinicians the steps to follow, AusPATH offers clinicians the path."
The AusPATH Australian Informed Consent Standards of Care for Gender Affirming Hormone Therapy are available from the AusPATH website - https://auspath.org.au/standards-of-care/
