12874 (2024). Shanan Halbert to the Associate Minister of Health

12874 (2024). Shanan Halbert to the Associate Minister of Health: What plans, if any, does the Minister have to lower the wait time for publicly funded surgery for gender-affirming healthcare from 10-13 years?

Hon Matt Doocey: I am advised that currently there are no patients waiting for gender affirming genital surgery under the publicly funded arrangement. The only wait list is for patients waiting to access a first specialist assessment (FSA) with the service provider of gender affirming genital surgery, to determine clinical interactions required to ensure a patient is ready for surgery. I am further advised that the service has undergone some changes to processes to reduce the wait times for FSA. Currently, patients may be on the wait list to access an FSA for two to three years and then take up to another two years to proceed to surgery given they meet all surgery criteria. Due to the complex nature of these cases, it takes time to work through the assessment process. Patients must meet surgical criteria and be assessed by the service provider prior to surgery being confirmed and undertaken.