TENI (Trans Equality Network Ireland) has announced that it is to run a series of free online training sessions aimed at providing support and training to healthcare workers.

The programme is designed to help healthcare professionals best support transgender, non-binary and gender non-conforming people who may access a variety of medical services. 

As well as providing a generalised introduction catering to all healthcare professionals, specialised sessions will focus on targeted needs in specific areas such as GP services, mental health provision and radiography.

The ‘Lunch and Learn Programme’ training sessions will be delivered by Noah Halpin, Healthcare Officer for TENI and founder of the #ThisIsMe campaign. 

As well as building on his personal experience of accessing healthcare in Ireland, Noah has devised the course in line with the World Professional Association for Transgender Health’s (WPATH) best practice standards and his extensive experience of working within the trans community, including his roles as the ministerial representative on the Transgender Healthcare Steering Committee and the HSE’s gbMSM Health Committee.

All sessions are free to attend and will take place via Zoom for 30 minutes, with an additional 15 minutes allocated to a questions session, should participants choose to remain on the call.

 

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The new programme is divided into four categories:
Trans 101 – Healthcare Setting
This training is appropriate for all patient-facing healthcare workers (HCWs) and students, as well as administrative staff. It will provide participants with practical skills to communicate with and to sensitively treat transgender patients in their care. 

In this session, participants will also learn about the basics of transgender identities, the importance of pronouns, the different types of transition, and more, as well as an understanding of the anxieties that may face the transgender community within a clinical environment.

Trans Awareness – Radiology
This training is targeted at radiographers, radiologists and radio students, as well as radiology admin staff. Throughout this session, Noah will cover gender identity, the Gender Recognition Act as applicable to medical care, best practices in terms of consent, pregnancy testing, relevant scan reporting and admission practice.

Primary Care and GP Practice
This training is designed to inform GP practices and Primary Care HCWs on the care of transgender, non-binary and gender non-conforming people in terms of monitoring hormone levels, general healthcare and post-surgical care. 

This training will also provide an introduction to the initial communication with a transgender patient in terms of reaction, acceptance and understanding. It will also cover the referral pathways for Gender Affirming Healthcare and the role of community care.

Transgender Mental Health
Throughout this training, Noah will provide data on the experiences of transgender, non-binary and gender non-conforming people both within and outside of mental health services in Ireland.
He will also explore the common difficulties that the community experiences when attempting to access mental health services when it comes to gender identity. This training is suitable for mental healthcare workers who wish to learn more about the mental health of transgender, non-binary and gender non-conforming people.

Sessions will be held throughout October and November on various dates listed below. To book your free place or to find out more, email [email protected].