The Professional Association for Trans Health Ireland (PATHI) strongly supports the development of community-based models for gender-affirming healthcare in Ireland, including the pilot service Kindred Clinic Cork, developed by Trans Healthcare Action and the Sexual Health Centre in Cork.
PATHI was established to advance quality care for trans and gender diverse (TGD) people in Ireland by bringing together professionals across healthcare, law and policy, research, education, advocacy, and community organising. Our work is grounded in the belief that TGD-specific healthcare should be evidence-based, accessible, and shaped by both clinical expertise and community need.
At present, many TGD people in Ireland face significant barriers to accessing care, including extensive waiting lists and limited access to prescriptions and routine monitoring, which lead to poorer health outcomes.
Kindred Clinic Cork demonstrates a practical, community-based response to these challenges. Through a model grounded in informed consent, harm reduction, and co-production, the Kindred Clinic Cork pilot supports TGD adults in Cork who are already taking hormone therapy and need free, safe access to maintenance prescribing, monitoring, and social support. Clinical services are provided by a GP and nurse, with support from a peer navigator. This approach reflects established international practice and demonstrates how services can be delivered safely and effectively within local sexual health contexts, as Kindred is co-located within the Sexual Health Centre.
The informed consent model, with delivery in primary care settings, is well established internationally and supported by best-practice standards, including the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) Standards of Care, Version 8. It improves access, reduces unnecessary barriers, and supports better patient outcomes while respecting bodily autonomy and supporting good clinical practice.
Importantly, the World Health Organisation (WHO) ICD-11 reclassified “gender incongruence” under Conditions Related to Sexual Health, supporting a depathologised approach to care and reinforcing that gender-affirming care should be understood and delivered as routine healthcare. This is particularly relevant in sexual health settings, where integrating gender-affirming care can reduce stigma, strengthen health outcomes, and improve engagement with sexual health services.
We believe there is significant value in supporting clinicians across primary and sexual health care to provide competent and confident gender-affirming care within their professional scope. Clear guidance, education, and support from representative and regulatory bodies can help reduce uncertainty for clinicians and improve access to care for TGD service users.
PATHI calls upon the HSE and Department of Health to support alternative models of gender-affirming care like Kindred Clinic Cork showcases, as this offers a blueprint for safer, more accessible, and more equitable healthcare for TGD people.