THREAD: So under the guise of COVID, where they assumed that no one would notice, the psychiatric team at the National Gender Service have began insisting that ADULT patient‘s parents be present at assessments.
This is against the law. Breaches patient confidentiality,

breaches patient consent, and is also an absolutely ridiculous, unnecessary and unethical forced requirement.
Putting aside legal standing alone...
There are many reasons why people would not want their parents present.
The line of questioning by the psychiatric team at the NGS

is unnecessarily hyper sexualised, asking paitents very intimate and detailed accounts of their sexual activity, as well as their childhood, relationship with their parents, past emotional/physical/sexual abuse etc... This outdated & non evidential model of diagnostic questioning

is traumatic enough for a person to go through alone. But to be forced, as an adult, to have a parent in the room at the same time is completely absurd & breaches all confidentiality/consent guidelines.
But it seems like the NGS is a law all to themselves.
And here’s the problem:

With only one dedicated gender service in the country, the psychiatric team there play god. They decide as to weather or not a person will be referred for HRT or not.
So this means that trans people going through the process are SO terrified to make a complaint or challenge this,

for a very real concern that their treatment will be completely denied or significantly delayed (after already waiting on a 2+ year waiting list to be seen).
People are desperate to begin HRT so will allow themselves to be forced into these situations and cannot complain without

fears of repercussions to their own care.
This is not good enough, they are breaking they law, breaching patient confidentiality and consent guidelines set by the state.
But patients are terrified to report it.
So what do we do? We raise the roof.
You do not have to be trans to

fight for trans rights. Make a complaint through the HSE Your Service, Your Say facility. Make a complaint to the National Gender Service. Make a complaint to Loughlinstown Hospital. Make a complaint to the HSE. Be the voice for those who feel as if they don’t have one right now.

And if you are a trans person who is having/has had such experiences, you can message me your account and I can assure you that it will be processed with complete sensitivity and anonymity.
This needs to end. We need patient accounts and we need allies to make complaints. If you

think that things were bad before, they’re getting worse.
I, and many others can generate change. We just need your help.
People are dying needlessly. And that’s the sad but blunt truth of the matter.
Things are getting worse, not better. Trust me on that.
So please, if you have

Or are having personal experiences with the “service” that you find uncomfortable or unethical, please get in touch with me.
Using your experience, guaranteeing full anonymity, we can make a difference. YOU can make a difference.
If you’re not a service user but an ally, please

make complaints through every avenue available about your concerns of the non evidential assessment process & breaches of confidentiality and consent currently being made by the NGS.
In no other area of healthcare would this be accepted. EVER!
But together, we can do this.
END.

Links:

Your Service Your Say
https://www2.hse.ie/services/hse-complaints-and-feedback/your-service-your-say.html

Loughlinstown Hospital Compaints
https://www.hse.ie/eng/services/list/3/acutehospitals/hospitals/loughlinstown/feedback-complaints/

National Gender Service Compaints
[email protected]

HSE Complainsts Officers
https://www.hse.ie/eng/about/qavd/complaints/officers/

DO NOT discuss complaints over the phone. Email only.

All complaints procedures must be done in writing. If over the phone, your complaint cannot and most likely will not be recorded.
If contacted by phone, do not discuss complaint. Insist discussion be carried out over email or written letter as per official procedure.