Information for clients
Important information
In 2019 the Department of Health and Human Services undertook a review of current Gender Services in Victoria to identify future statewide models. This review recommended Gender Clinic move away from Mental Health to the Specialist Clinic area.
We are pleased to announce that the Gender Clinic commenced operating as a Specialist Clinic in August 2020.
This comes with many changes including how consumers access this service, Referrals from a health professional can now be submitted through our centralised process by completing the GP referral template available at https://monashhealth.org/health-professionals/referrals/referral-templates-and-guides/ and faxing this to (03) 9594 2273. There will no longer be a need for the General Information Form.
The first steps
If you are interested in attending the Gender Clinic please first read the information pack (linked below) then provide a referral from a medical practitioner, such as a GP or medical specialist (preferably your GP). They can fill in the GP Referral Template and fax it to the centralised intake for specialist consulting units at (03) 9594 2273.
Gender Clinic information pack
PDF document
Referrals
Gender Incongruence and Gender Dysphoria are internationally recognised medical conditions, for which patients are entitled to seek treatment, however not all medical practitioners have experience with servicing the trans and gender diverse community and may not be aware of what is needed. If you are worried that your GP will not refer you, please remember you can ask for a second opinion from another GP or contact us and we can guide you to GP’s in your area.
Private providers
At Gender Clinic we know that being able to choose a service provider is important for some clients. Therefore minimising the barriers to accessing trans affirmative care is an important goal of Gender Clinic. If you want to consider these alternative pathways, you can find a list of private providers in the service providers section of the Australian Professional Association for Trans Health main page (linked below) or alternatively you can check our our list of private providers below. Please note that you can remain on the Gender Clinic waiting list whilst seeing private providers.
Informed consent primary care options
For clients who only wish to commence hormone therapy we encourage referral to one of the clinics that provide care under the informed consent protocol, unless you have complex needs or seek more comprehensive mental health assessment and support, particularly if you have concerns beyond the scope of a GP’s usual practice. For more information about our intake criteria and a list of relevant clinics, see our Information for health professionals page.
I have sent my referral, now what?
Shortly you will contacted by our admin team regarding an intake appointment. This appointment will be held via phone call or videoconference with one of our clinicians. The gender clinic currently has a very long wait list and although we are unable to predict how long the waiting period for an assessment will be, we anticipate it being over 12 months.
The intake appointment should last no longer than 30 minutes. During this appointment, we will provide you with information about what services we offer. The purpose of the intake appointment is to explore your goals for attending the clinic and to ensure that the gender clinic is the most appropriate service for you. We may suggest alternative services that you can consider. Please note that you will only be added to our waitlist at the end of this appointment.
We will also provide you with information about emergency mental health support should the need arise while you are on the waitlist; and explore with you what you can do while you are waiting on the waitlist.
It is important that you contact us if you are unable to attend your intake appointment. If you do not attend a second intake appointment we may not be able to offer you any further appointments.
If your want to know your position on the waiting list, contact administrative staff via email to genderclinic@monashhealth.org with: Surname, Date of Birth and Medicare Number.
Gender Clinic strives to provide an accessible service for all our clients; prior to your first appointment please let us know about any special requirements. We can account for additional needs such as a carer/support person attending, disabled parking access, or a sensory room. During the Covid-19 pandemic, all appointments are through Telehealth, unless there is a particular need for face to face consultation.
Check out our Frequently asked questions page and please contact the clinic Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm to know more. If you are interested in a support group or connecting with the community please see our resources page.