Regional Gender Identity Panel
In November 2019 the Department of Health asked the Health and Social Care Board to undertake a review of the Regional Gender Identity Service pathway. A small group, Gender Identity Pathway Review Group was established to take this forward.
Two listening events were arranged to ensure that service users and other interested parties voices and concerns were heard and listened to shape and inform this review.
Leading on from these events, the Patient and Client Council, through our “Make Change Together” programme, would recruit an expert Panel of service users, carers and family members to assist with the review of the pathway.
Recruitment took place in early January 2021, and 22 members now sit on the Regional Gender Identity Panel. In April 2021, the successful recruitment of two Co-Chairs from the Panel took place.
To date, four meetings of the Regional Gender Identity Panel have taken place and issues such as the Gender Identity Clinic waiting list, input into the service pathway, as well as GPs and other medical professionals joining the meetings and having frank discussions with the members about their concerns with the service in general. This has fed into the review overall, and continues to promote productive, positive change for the future of Gender Identity services in Northern Ireland.
Should you have any queries, please contact Jane Reilly, PCC Involvement Officer by emailing jane.reilly@pcc-ni.net
