The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) has voted to advocate for the adoption of the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) standards as the foundation of a new model of trans healthcare in Ireland. The move was welcomed by trans health professionals all over Ireland, who have commended it as a “landmark” decision.

INMO held its Annual Delegate Conference 2025 earlier in May, where nurses and midwives from local branches and professional sections across the country came together to discuss the impact of inclusive healthcare on our society. Among several topics of conversation, an LGBTQI+ Forum was also part of this year’s programme.

During the forum, members of INMO voted 97% in favour of advocating for the adoption of World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) Standards of Care Version 8 (SOC8). The WPATH SOC8 guidelines are international best practice, and they recommend an informed consent model and support the provision of gender-affirming care.

The motion was proposed by Dr John Gilmore, who urged conference participants to embrace real policy-driven allyship. During a speech, they highlighted how Ireland currently ranks lowest in the EU for trans healthcare access. They also pointed out that the WPATH SOC8 guidelines are “gold standard, evidence-based care”, developed by experts, researchers, clinicians, and trans and gender diverse people themselves.

“It has been endorsed in many countries and by many international and national professional organisations. It’s not fancy or complicated,” they continued. “It’s based on things that we hold dear as nurses, affirmative care, person-centred care, multidisciplinary input, informed consent model.”

Welcoming the INMO decision, the Professional Association for Trans Health Ireland (PATHI) said in a statement: “This landmark step by Ireland’s largest healthcare trade union demonstrates a powerful and progressive commitment to evidence-based, person-centred, and rights-affirming healthcare for trans people in Ireland.”

The association urged the HSE to respond to this call and commit to implementing meaningful changes for people who need access to trans healthcare in Ireland. “Trans people in Ireland deserve safe, timely, accessible, equitable, culturally competent, and trauma-informed care and this vote marks a crucial step towards making that a reality,” the statement read.

Ryan Goulding, who is the Primary Health Field Representative for PATHI, a lecturer in mental health nursing and a registered mental health nurse, also welcomed the move, saying: “This vote is a clear call for change.”

Goulding went on to say “It signals strong professional support for trans-affirming care and reflects the growing consensus across the healthcare sector that trans people in Ireland must have access to safe, timely, accessible, equitable healthcare cemented in informed consent.”