NHS 111 Wales

Trans access to healthcare

If you are trans, you have the same right to good quality healthcare as everyone else.

This means you should be treated with dignity and respect when accessing healthcare. This applies whether or not you have a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC).

If you are not treated with dignity and respect, especially if you believe that this is because of your gender identity, then you can make a complaint.

If you have a Gender Recognition Certificate you have a right to the same quality of healthcare as everyone else, regardless of your gender identity. This includes the right to anything a cis person of your gender would have, such as fertility treatment. This means that:

Healthcare staff should use your correct name, title and pronouns at all times.
Information about your trans history and status should not be disclosed or discussed without your consent unless medically absolutely necessary.
Your name and title should be changed on your documentation both on computer and in paper files, except where it would put your health at risk to do so.

Your GP and other medical professionals should take steps to respect your privacy as regards your gender identity. Your gender history should not be disclosed unless medically necessary.

If you do not have a Gender Recognition Certificate it is still good practice to treat you as though you do.

If you have a non-binary gender identity, you will not be able to get a GRC but it is still good practice to use the titles/pronouns you identify with.

Gender affirming surgery

Some trans people need healthcare specifically because they are trans. This might include gender affirming healthcare, including top and bottom surgery and hormones. Terrence Higgins Trust resource around medical transitions for trans men and trans women. Non-binary people also have a right to gender affirming healthcare if it is helpful for their gender identity. THT resource for male assigned non-binary people and female assigned non-binary people. Gires has information about surgery for trans women here.

Some trans people do not want or cannot have gender affirming healthcare. You may be unable to have surgery, or take hormones, or you may not want to. For non-binary people in particular, transitioning may not have relevance to their identity. Choosing not to, or being unable to have gender affirming healthcare does not make you any less trans.

Resources

Gires trans health fact sheets.

Information from Gires about obtaining your Gender Recognition Certificate.