Nova Scotia says it’s lowering barriers to access to gender-affirming care in the province wait time for surgery.
Effective Wednesday, Seekers gender confirmation surgery There would no longer be a need to include a letter of support from a Nova Scotia specialist and another specialist confirming post-operative care in their surgery applications if the surgery was taking place in the province.
Seeing a specialist in Nova Scotia can currently take six to 18 months, which more than doubles patients’ wait times, the province said in a release.
“People told us that the application process for gender-affirming surgery created unnecessary difficulty and painful delays in seeking care for them,” Health and Welfare Minister Michelle Thompson said in the release.
“This can have a serious impact on their mental health, and it hurts gender-diverse people and their loved ones.”
The change comes after several months of concerns by members of the LGBTQIA2S+ community and care providers. In May it was reported that the only doctor in the province to perform gender-affirming surgery said he will no longer offer the service,
In a June interview with The Canadian Press, Abby Ferguson, executive director of the Halifax Sexual Health Center, said that most doctors in Nova Scotia refuse to offer gender-affirming care, which she says gives patients to her clinic or Pride, which is part of the Nova Scotia Health Authority. ,
As of June 13, Ferguson’s clinic had 850 patients seeking gender-affirming care and another 65 were on its waiting list, CP reported. According to Ferguson, the process of receiving letters from a handful of ‘overloaded’ specialists in NS can take years, depending on the need for surgery.
On Wednesday, Minister Thompson said the government listened, and was making the changes the community called for.
“We will continue to work with transgender and gender-diverse Nova Scotians, listening to their needs and providing support more quickly,” she said in the release.
However, a psychosocial assessment letter is still required for a gender-affirming surgery application.
As of Wednesday, assessments can be completed by physicians, nurse practitioners and specialists “who have specific skills in gender-affirming care” rather than by mental health practitioners with specialized training.
Ferguson said in the state release the Halifax Sexual Health Center is thrilled to learn that the advocacy has been recognized.
“We are confident that the changes in the application process will have a positive impact on our patients. We are excited to reach out to patients who are currently awaiting expert letters to bring them the good news,” Ferguson said.
Gary Dart, PrideHealth Co-ordinator, Nova Scotia Health, said in the release: “This is a great step toward more equitable access to gender-affirming care while reducing barriers and stigma. To be part of this change and to support the 2SLGBTQIA+ community It’s a privilege for me to advocate.”
In the release, the province said that 101 gender-affirming surgery applications were approved in 2021, and that these surgeries have been an insured benefit in the NS since 2014.
— With files from The Canadian Press and Global News ‘Ashley Field’
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