Trans Activist Gemma Hickey says this is a “great day.” It is no longer necessary to travel out of the province for transition-related surgery readiness assessments.

Before today, transition-related surgery was insured only if recommended by the Adult Gender Identity Clinic at The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) in Toronto.

Health Minister John Haggie made the announcement this morning and say without travel to Toronto, government says assessments are now more accessible and wait times will be reduced. The province says they have the expertise to offer surgical readiness assessments here in Newfoundland and Labrador.

A number of surgical readiness assessors are currently in place and assessments will be completed in accordance with the World Professional Association for Transgender Health Standards of Care.

By lifting the CAMH requirement, the province hopes more assessors will come forward. Anyone on CAMH’s current wait list will have the choice if they want to stay on the list in Toronto or have the assessment done here.

You can find more information here.

Anyone on CAMH’s current wait list will have the choice if they want to stay on the list in Toronto or have the assessment done here.

Haggie says they know it took time to get here, but they wanted to get it right and wanted to hear from those with lived experience. @VOCMNEWS pic.twitter.com/hfT5m9ydlf

— Ben Murphy VOCM (@BenMurphyVOCM) November 4, 2019

Most people requiring transition-related surgery will still have to travel outside the province for surgery itself. The province’s MCP covers the insured portion of the surgery completely.