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'Devastating': Trans people on wrong waiting list for years after referrals were 'misplaced'

Over 100 people were affected by the HSE’s error.

PEOPLE WAITING FOR transgender healthcare spent up to three years on the wrong waiting lists after the HSE “misplaced” their referrals.

The National Gender Service (NGS) at St Colmcille’s Hospital in Dublin, which runs transgender healthcare for the HSE, has confirmed that 109 patient referrals which should have been placed on its own waiting list were misplaced on other waiting lists.

The Transgender Equality Network Ireland (Teni) said some patients have been on incorrect lists for up to three years, “waiting on an appointment, without any communication or notification from the NGS”.

A spokesperson for Teni said the group is “shocked and disappointed at this disregard for patients”.

“This will have a devastating impact on our community. It is a breach of trust. Our community told us that they were waiting too long, that their referrals were lost in the system and that they were not being kept informed.

“We knew that these concerns were valid. Now the National Gender Service has finally admitted that their system has failed us.”

Teni has consistently raised concerns about long waiting lists; most transgender people have to wait for over a year, and some over three years, to get their first appointment with the NGS.

Trans people experience a higher incidence of negative mental health outcomes than the general population. Poor mental health in our community is often exacerbated by the lack of appropriate gender-affirming health services.

“Trans people deserve accessible and timely healthcare; care that is person-centred and based on international best practice,” the spokesperson said.

Teni held a meeting with NGS representatives on Monday to discuss how to help those affected and ensure the same issue does not happen again. Patients were informed of the error yesterday.

In a statement issued today, the NGS confirmed that it recently conducted “a full review” of its service, including its referral processes. As a result of the review, the organisation “identified a group of people who should have been seen for their initial visit by now, but have not received an appointment date”.

These people were on a waiting list but due to a processing error they were not allocated appointments as intended. We are aware of 109 people who have been affected by this delay.

A NGS spokesperson said that all the people identified in the review were yesterday sent a letter informing them of the situation. Thay added that affected people “will be reinstated into the correct position on the waiting list”.

Case manager

Each person will also be assigned a case manager and “can expect a call from their assigned case manager” over the next four to six weeks.

“The case manager will answer any questions the affected person might have and help them to get the appointment and support they need,” the spokesperson said. 

They added that the NGS is confident the review “identified the majority of those affected”, but anyone who believes they were impacted but have not yet been contacted should call 01 211 5045 or email nationalgenderservice@hse.ie.

“We apologise to those affected by this discovery, their families, and the transgender community in Ireland,” the spokesperson said, adding: “We are now confident that this issue has being fully resolved and will not be repeated.”

BeLonG To, which supports young members of the LGBTI+ community, said it is “appalled” by today’s announcement.

CEO Moninne Griffith said: “We are deeply upset and appalled by today’s announcement by the HSE. This failure by the NGS has potentially significant physical, psychological and emotional implications for the affected patients.

“It also raises concerns for all trans patients on the waiting lists or those currently hoping to be referred to the NGS.”

Griffith added that the development is “further evidence that transgender patients in Ireland continue to be denied the adequate healthcare they require”.

If you need urgent support, you can call the LGBT Helpline on 1890 929 539. You can also contact the Samaritans at 116 123 or Pieta House at 1800 247 247.

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23 Comments
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    Mute Leo Lalor
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    Nov 6th 2019, 6:00 PM

    I think there are more important things for the health service to worry about

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    Mute Daniel Cullen
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    Nov 6th 2019, 6:18 PM

    @Leo Lalor: dont think the prioritisation
    of it is relevant. An error is an error at the end of the day.

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    Mute Michael Burke
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    Nov 6th 2019, 6:24 PM

    @Leo Lalor: if you aren’t affected you’d no doubt think that!

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    Mute GMCManning
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    Nov 6th 2019, 6:33 PM

    @Leo Lalor: so they should only worry about the single most important thing as defined by you? We all know the health service is shockin why go making it worse?

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    Mute ObsidianShine
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    Nov 6th 2019, 6:35 PM

    @Leo Lalor: Easy knowing it’s not something that affects you or any of your loved ones!

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    Mute Adam
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    Nov 6th 2019, 6:57 PM

    @Leo Lalor: so you think that not being able to access healthcare that is life saving for many trans people isn’t important?

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    Mute Martin Peter Rahill.
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    Nov 7th 2019, 1:21 AM

    @Leo Lalor: perhaps this can be addressed in conjunction with other pressing matters in the Health Service.

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    Mute Denise Gerrard
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    Nov 7th 2019, 11:36 AM

    @Adam: what exactly is life changing

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    Mute Sirius
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    Nov 6th 2019, 7:11 PM

    100 people???? There are patients waiting over 5 years for the most basic of health care. Bigger fish to fry!!

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    Mute Gisbert Bayertz
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    Nov 6th 2019, 7:45 PM

    @Sirius: exactly

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    Mute Martin Peter Rahill.
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    Nov 7th 2019, 1:27 AM

    @Sirius: the waiting list as per a recent PM in the Oireachtas is over 2,000. That is alot by ANY standard of waiting list for any procedure.

    1 way to tackle this waiting list would be to authorise a GP to prescribe an individual identifying as Transgender with Hormones (as is well within their expertise – they can prescribe HRT to woman undergoing Menopause ), rather than a visit to a Psychiatrist (bearing in mind there is 1 psychiatrist in the entire country ‘permitted by law’ to sign someone off as Transgender).

    At a start.

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    Mute VMKilshaw
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    Nov 7th 2019, 5:17 PM

    @Martin Peter Rahill.: Hormones are not without problems. Giving them to pre-pubertal teens causes all sorts of medical problems. There is no way a pre-pubertal teen can be compared to a menopausal women. GP’s should not be handing out hormone tablets like smarties.

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    Mute Stiofán Ó Cearnaigh
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    Nov 6th 2019, 6:20 PM

    Zzzzz

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    Mute TamuMassif2019
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    Nov 6th 2019, 7:48 PM

    I think those dying, are in pain and have been diagnosed with cancer would take priority?

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    Mute Caireann Rua
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    Nov 6th 2019, 8:44 PM

    @TamuMassif2019: take priority on a waiting list for the National Gender Service?

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    Mute SkepticQuark
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    Nov 7th 2019, 8:49 AM

    @TamuMassif2019: Lack of access to proper healthcare increases suicidal ideation of trans people so I’m not sure what your point is, maybe be a bit more aware of the situation before acting like it’s not important. Not to mention you can address multiple problems at the same time, this seems to be a thing with commenters that come out of the woodwork for articles like this “oh shouldn’t this take priority.” Humans can multitask it’s not hard.

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    Mute Denise Gerrard
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    Nov 7th 2019, 11:40 AM

    @SkepticQuark: lack of proper healthcare and access to consultants for people with cancer ,and severe pain raises suicidal idealation

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    Mute VMKilshaw
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    Nov 7th 2019, 5:19 PM

    @SkepticQuark: Have you got proper statistics for the suicide assertion. From what I’ve read people are more likely to commit suicide after they’ve transitioned.

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    Mute Sean O' Donovan
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    Nov 6th 2019, 6:26 PM

    Welcome to the Irish health service. Please form an orderly extremely long queue.

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    Mute Red Pirate 71
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    Nov 6th 2019, 10:51 PM

    That’s a real cock up. Or not as the case may be.

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    Mute muirhill121
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    Nov 6th 2019, 6:54 PM

    I wonder was it a binary records system?

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