LGBTQ+ organisations are taking different positions on Ireland’s developing model of care for trans healthcare, but the destination is shared: accessible, patient-centred and gender-affirming services that don’t leave people waiting years for support.
A new healthcare framework is taking shape
Ireland’s HSE is developing a new model of care for gender healthcare, with clinicians and LGBTQ+ organisations involved in the working group. The aim is to create a more coherent system for trans and gender-diverse people, many of whom have faced long delays and difficult assessments.
The process matters because healthcare access remains uneven. Some people rely on private treatment, while others are left navigating uncertainty or managing their needs without clinical support. The Trans Healthcare Action and Professional Association for Trans Health Ireland statements add to the growing focus on how the new framework should work in practice.
Why some organisations have stepped away
THA and PATHI have decided to leave the working group, a move that the organisations remaining involved say they respect. Their departure points to serious concerns about the direction or structure of the process, even though the wider goal remains broadly aligned.
That split doesn't mean the movement's priorities have changed. Across the organisations involved, the emphasis is on care that treats trans people as partners in decisions, rather than framing gender diversity as something that needs to be diagnosed or corrected.
The central demand is patient-centred care
The organisations are calling for a depathologised approach, local access and services informed by international best practice. In plain English, that means reducing unnecessary barriers and making sure people can receive appropriate support without being pushed through irrelevant or invasive procedures.
It also means looking beyond the headline question of waiting lists. A genuinely workable service would need enough trained staff, clear referral routes and consistent standards, whether someone lives in Dublin, elsewhere in Ireland or has limited money for private care.
What the disagreement means for patients
For people currently waiting, the working group's internal debate may feel distant compared with the everyday reality of delayed appointments and limited choices. Still, these decisions will shape how referrals, assessments and treatment are organised for years to come.
A useful model should also recognise that patients don't arrive with identical needs. Some may seek hormones, others surgery, counselling, primary-care support or simply reliable information. A flexible service would be safer and more respectful than a one-size-fits-all pathway.
A chance to rebuild trust
TENI, LGBT Ireland and Belong To have chosen to remain involved for now, saying they want to push for change from within the process. That approach reflects a difficult but familiar tension in public policy: staying at the table can create influence, but participation can also become frustrating when progress feels too slow.
The HSE and Department of Health now have an opportunity to show that consultation means more than attendance at meetings. As trans healthcare groups continue to publish their positions and campaign for reform, the strongest test will be whether the final model delivers timely, humane care in the real world.
A better system won't be judged by its paperwork, but by how it treats the person waiting for help.
Source Reference Map
Story idea inspired by: [1]
Sources by paragraph: