Gender Affirming Surgery

See your GP for a referral for Gender Affirming Surgeries. Your GP can access their Health Pathways portal for referral criteria and updates.  

Tracheal Shave and other Facial Feminisation surgeries are not provided by Capital, Coast and Hutt Valley. Your GP can discuss with you the option of seeking alternative providers for assessment and treatment, including referral to a private specialist. 

Some surgeons require assessments as per the Standards of Care for the Health of Transgender and Gender Diverse People, Version 8 (SOC-8) criteria prior to gender affirming surgeries. These are not provided by Capital, Coast and Hutt Valley and may need to be self-funded. Before you self-fund any assessment ensure any private provider is aware of the surgeon’s expectations.  

Top Surgery  

Capital, Coast and Hutt Valley are working towards a unified regional service for all breast care including top surgery. This includes gynaecomastia excision (chest reconstruction/breast removal) for non-binary, trans or cis men, and breast augmentation for non-binary and trans females.  

Current resource constraints mean we are unable to accept routine referrals, but will review referrals on a case-by-case basis to provide care for anyone suffering serious problems. 

Access for breast surgeries is generally limited as cancer surgeries take priority and other surgeries are processed using a prioritisation tool. Not everyone who applies will be approved for surgery. This tool is based on the impact of surgery on quality of life. 

Your GP can also discuss with you the option of seeking alternative providers for assessment and treatment, including referral to a private specialist. 

Gender affirming orchiectomy  

Capital, Coast and Hutt Valley urology services do not have the capacity to offer gender affirming orchiectomy. Referrals cannot be accepted. If you have severe side-effects from taking testosterone blockers or there is a medical reason you cannot be prescribed testosterone blockers, there might be room for a case-by-case consideration. 

Gender affirming hysterectomy  

Gender Affirming Hysterectomy, with or without removal of tubes and ovaries, is offered by the “Women’s Health Service”, Capital and Coast at Wellington Regional Hospital. 

You will need to be referred to “Women’s Health Service” by your GP. Before your GP can refer you, you will they will need to refer you for a pelvic ultrasound scan. You will also need evidence that you meet the Standards of Care for the Health of Transgender and Gender Diverse People, Version 8 (SOC-8) criteria. These are: that you have a diagnosis of gender incongruence or dysphoria, that you have been on hormone therapy for 12 continuous months (as appropriate for your gender goals and health), that you are over 18 years old, and any significant medical or mental health issues are well-controlled, and you are able to give consent.  

Please discuss options with your GP as they may be able to provide a letter of support. Previous assessments can be helpful or such an assessment may need to be privately funded. These assessments are not provided by the surgical team or funded within Te Whatu Ora, Capital, Coast and Hutt Valley.