100 signatures reached
To: BC Ministry of Health
Safe, timely health care for transgender people
We urge you to address the lack of access to adequate health care for transgender people in BC.
Until timely access to gender affirming health care is available in BC and Canada, we ask you to:
a) increase access to MSP funding for out-of-province and/or out-of-country surgeries beyond the Montreal program, and
b) expedite plans to create a BC surgical program for transgender care.
Until timely access to gender affirming health care is available in BC and Canada, we ask you to:
a) increase access to MSP funding for out-of-province and/or out-of-country surgeries beyond the Montreal program, and
b) expedite plans to create a BC surgical program for transgender care.
Why is this important?
Right now hundreds of transgender people in BC are on wait lists for gender affirming health care.
That's because these services, including timely access to experienced surgeons, are extremely limited and under resourced in BC - and in Canada.
A recent arson at a Montreal clinic has shed light on this situation. The clinic is the only location in the country that offers gender affirming lower body surgeries. It will not be fully operational for a lengthy period of time due to damages from the arson. [1]
Some progress is being made in BC - the new Trans Care BC program is designed to improve health care options for transgender people. Trans Care BC will be submitting a business case to the Ministry of Health to create a provincial gender affirming surgical program. [2]
But this process will take time and right now access to gender affirming care in BC remains very limited and wait lists continue to grow.
We, the undersigned, ask that until timely access to gender affirming health care is available in BC and Canada, the Ministry of Health a) increase access to MSP funding for out-of-province and/or out-of-country surgeries beyond the program at the Montreal clinic, and b) expedite plans to create a BC surgical program for trans care.
Trans people in BC need access to care now. Please sign and share.
Sources:
[1] http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/genital-reassignment-clinic-postpones-surgeries-after-fire-1.3571262
[2] http://www.phsa.ca/transgender/Documents/Gender-Affirming%20Surgery.pdf
This petition is supported by the Catherine White Holman Wellness Centre
That's because these services, including timely access to experienced surgeons, are extremely limited and under resourced in BC - and in Canada.
A recent arson at a Montreal clinic has shed light on this situation. The clinic is the only location in the country that offers gender affirming lower body surgeries. It will not be fully operational for a lengthy period of time due to damages from the arson. [1]
Some progress is being made in BC - the new Trans Care BC program is designed to improve health care options for transgender people. Trans Care BC will be submitting a business case to the Ministry of Health to create a provincial gender affirming surgical program. [2]
But this process will take time and right now access to gender affirming care in BC remains very limited and wait lists continue to grow.
We, the undersigned, ask that until timely access to gender affirming health care is available in BC and Canada, the Ministry of Health a) increase access to MSP funding for out-of-province and/or out-of-country surgeries beyond the program at the Montreal clinic, and b) expedite plans to create a BC surgical program for trans care.
Trans people in BC need access to care now. Please sign and share.
Sources:
[1] http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/genital-reassignment-clinic-postpones-surgeries-after-fire-1.3571262
[2] http://www.phsa.ca/transgender/Documents/Gender-Affirming%20Surgery.pdf
This petition is supported by the Catherine White Holman Wellness Centre