Alliance Health spokesperson Paula Bradshaw MLA has expressed her support for a new policy paper looking at the future of trans healthcare here.

The paper from Transgender NI was launched today as part of Pride Week in Belfast. It is designed to outline a vision of healthcare in Northern Ireland that protects and promotes the rights of trans people.

“This is a timely and important document, as the Department of Health continues to seek out ways in which the health and social care sector can be transformed to deliver better outcomes,” she said.

“The trans and non-binary community have been let down for far too long – the need for specialist gender services has not been met. As such, I support Transgender NI’s call for a fundamental review of existing services with a view to new models of care being developed here in conjunction with the trans and non-binary community.

“The fresh approach introduced by Professor Bengoa in his report on transforming the health service must continue through this process, by putting the people affected right at the centre of the design and production phases of new service models.”