Health professionals, health bodies, & community organisations call for publication of guidelines for gender affirming care
Health professionals, health organisations and community organisations are concerned by the delay of the publication of the updated clinical Guidelines for Gender Affirming Care in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Health professionals are asking for updated guidance on providing appropriate and safe healthcare to transgender and non-binary patients.
In 2023 Health NZ | Te Whatu Ora contracted the Professional Association for Transgender Health Aotearoa (PATHA) to update the 2018 guidelines for gender affirming healthcare. It is standard practice for guidelines to be periodically updated to ensure their content is kept up to date. PATHA submitted the updated guidelines in October 2024 and they followed the standard process for publication of a clinical guideline, including approval from Te Whatu Ora’s National Clinical Governance Group, and were also approved by Te Whatu Ora's Executive Leadership Team.
The evidence-based guidelines, which have been peer reviewed by clinicians with expertise in this care from within New Zealand and internationally, cover a wide range of topics relevant to transgender and non-binary health and wellbeing, including new chapters on creating inclusive healthcare environments, non-medical gender affirmation options, and more. The small section within this comprehensive document relating to prescribing puberty blockers aligns with the Ministry of Health’s position statement on this care and supports safe prescribing for young people.
The guidelines were due for publication at the end of March 2025. We are aware that in the days beforehand, an FYI was sent to the Minister and Associate Minister of Health. Less than 24 hours before the date of publication, there was an unnecessary, indefinite and unexplained delay in the publication of these clinical guidelines. We believe this is due to unprecedented and inappropriate political interference. Delays in releasing the guideline impacts on the ability to improve healthcare delivery and health outcomes for the transgender and non-binary population. The undersigned call on the government to allow Health NZ | Te Whatu Ora to publish the updated Guidelines for Gender Affirming Healthcare in Aotearoa New Zealand immediately.
You can add your signature to this open letter using the form below.