Te Whatu Ora Capital, Coast and Hutt Valley offers access to gender affirming medical care for transgender and non-binary young people under 16 years old. This is via the Child Health Service at either Wellington Hospital (Te Wao Nui) or Hutt Hospital. Referral information is found in in the GP ‘Health Pathways’ web portal under Gender Diversity and Transgender Health.
The Child Health Service will discuss the different options for managing puberty. Options for gender affirming medical care during puberty may include:
- Suspending puberty with gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) blockers, also known as “puberty blockers”
- Other hormone therapy for managing distressing aspects of puberty (e.g. progesterone therapy to cease menstruation).
Please note that prescription of puberty blockers through the Child Health Service cannot take place until a comprehensive psychosocial assessment with you and your family/whānau has been completed. This assessment is carried out by your local child and adolescent mental health service. Your GP needs to refer you for this at the same time as the referral to the appropriate child health service. The wait time for a psychosocial assessment is likely to fluctuate depending on demand and staffing. This initial assessment can also be completed by a private clinical psychologist rather than in the child and adolescent mental health service. This is not funded.
Once the psychosocial assessment is complete, the paediatricians (child doctors) will discuss the different options for managing puberty with you. This may include the option of prescribing puberty blockers.
For gender affirming hormone therapy, there would generally be an onward referral to the adult endocrinology service once a young person turns 16. An additional psychosocial assessment for hormone therapy is required. This considers factors such as gender incongruence and a young person’s desire and competence to consent to medical intervention for gender transition.
If you live in the Capital and Coast area
If you are under a paediatric endocrinologist at Te Wao Nui you can also access the clinical psychologist for support with any gender-related questions or concerns. Psychological therapy for non-gender related mental health issues is not available through this service. Any non-gender related mental health concerns are best addressed through the appropriate primary or secondary mental health services.
Menstrual Cessation
Please discuss with your GP if your monthly bleeding is causing gender dysphoria, there are medication options to stop this occurring.
Healthline
GP
Afterhours
Hospital ED