Logo Australian Transgender Support Association of Queensland Inc.
ABN 15 319 522 768

 

Brisbane Gender Clinic

New Gender Identity Disorder Clients Policy 2007

For new clients ringing the Brisbane Clinic after 31st October 2006

ALL NEW GENDER IDENTITY DISORDER CLIENTS REQUIRE A LETTER OF REFERRAL FROM THEIR GP, PSYCHIATRIST or PSYCHOLOGIST POSTED TO DR GALE BEARMAN, LEVEL 1, 270 ROMA ST BRISBANE 4000

An appointment will be posted to the client. The letter to the client can be in a plain envelope.

A letter will be sent to the referring doctor, providing information so that they can care for the client while waiting.

Clients referred within our service by a Sexual Health Clinician can be verbally referred but the client should be informed that they need to find a GP to share their care.

Exceptional circumstances:

If mail cannot be sent to a persons home address, the letter of referral can ask that the appointment be sent to another address e.g. a PO Box, a friend, or to the clients GP.

  1. If the client cannot disclose to their current GP they will need to find another. If the client thinks it is impossible to disclose to any GP, e.g. client is a high profile person in a country town, then they can write to me directly.
  2. Verbal referral will be accepted from any clinician who has a client who is a suicidal risk.
  3. Clients already in a programme who have just moved to Brisbane can request their own appointment by phone provided they have been previously assessed by a Psychiatrist and they have a letter from their current health provider with them. If they have no letter they need to obtain one.

Note that this clinic still serves only Queensland clients who are not in the catchment of another Sexual Health Service.

Background

It is understood that finding a sympathetic GP and disclosing to them can be difficult. However GID is a medical condition, not a .street. condition or an underground condition, and disclosures to professionals need to be made. The long waits for this Clinic require that GPs and other health professionals become educated to assist in the management of this condition.

This policy has the full endorsement of the Management Committee of Brisbane Gender Clinic and the Management Committee of Australian TRANSGENDER SUPPORT Association of Queensland Inc.

This Policy is current as of October 2006.

BRISBANE GENDER CLINIC

The Brisbane Gender Clinic is affiliated with the Monash Gender Dysphoria Centre. Queensland Health is happy to assist with transport costs to Melbourne for assessment, surgery and follow-up through the Patient Travel Subsidy Scheme.

However some clients, for various reasons, choose to have surgery overseas. Complications can and do arise from any major surgery performed anywhere.

Difficulties can arise because:

  1. There is no communication from the surgeon about what they have done.
  2. There are several surgeons using different techniques.
  3. The client returns too early after surgery.
  4. The client requests removal of stiches without any written communication.
  5. The client with complications cannot afford to go back to the surgeon or access private care in Australia and public waits are too long.
  6. Roma Street Sexual Health Clinic does not have internet access at any of the computers to look up a surgeons. web page, and there is no ISD facility.

POLICY ON GENDER REASSIGNMENT SURGERY PERFORMED OUTSIDE AUSTRALIA

Clients may have post-operative checks at the Brisbane Gender Clinic following surgery overseas, provided that:

  1. Clients intending to have surgery overseas plan what they will do in the event of complications, and have saving to cover.
  2. The surgeon.s e-mail address must be noted in the Gender Clinic file.
  3. Ideally, the surgeon should provide a written summary of what they have done, the expected post-operative course, and in what circumstances they should be contacted.
  4. Clients must remain overseas to have sutures out, as it is the responsibility of the surgeon to check wounds just before and just after the removal of sutures.

This policy has the full endorsement of the Management Committee of Brisbane Gender Clinic and the Management Committee of The Australian TRANSGENDER SUPPORT Association of Queensland Inc.

This policy is current as of July 2006

BRISBANE GENDER CLINIC

Dr Gale Bearman M.B.B.S. Provider No. 049724DF
Level 1/270 Roma Street Brisbane QLD 4000
The phone numbers are 07 3836 5611 (Mon-Fri except Wed afternoon) and 07 3837 5645 (Wed afternoon)

 


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