TRANSCARE Third Policy Roundtable
The third Policy Roundtable convened online via Zoom on the afternoon of Friday, June 2, 2023, spanning from 1 pm to 3 pm. The central purpose of this gathering was to facilitate a comprehensive and thoughtful exchange of ideas, culminating in the formulation of substantive proposals. These proposals are intended to play a pivotal role in advancing the development and implementation of a robust public health framework. This framework, in turn, aspires to achieve various crucial objectives, including but not limited to:
- the elimination of discrimination and universal access to health services,
- the management of discriminatory and stereotypical attitudes, and in particular
- information, training, and skills acquisition for health professionals through the provision of specialized knowledge
Indicative topics and questions that were discussed:
- Thematic Module: Education
- Where do you focus on the need to improve education and possibly educational institutions in tertiary and secondary education regarding transgender people particularly in mental and physical health issues?
- What are the most appropriate mechanisms to inform and educate health professionals on transgender health issues?
- Are you aware of best practices from European or international programmes that could be applied in the field of education in this regard?
- From your experience, could the example of another country’s education system be applied in our country that would meet the requirements of training students or health science professionals in our country?
- Thematic Section: Accessibility and equal treatment in the health system
- How do you intend to implement ICD-11 and the new WPATH guidelines?
- What issues related to communication between health professionals and trans people do you consider essential and where do you focus the need for improvement to ensure confidentiality and avoid discrimination?
- What do you consider should be the approach regarding gender issues of trans people during medical examinations and in healthcare settings? Is a specific coding system required?
- Do you believe that there are differences between urban centres and rural areas regarding the treatment of transgender people in accessing the health care system? If so, how could practical improvements be made?
- Thematic Section: Legal and institutional framework of our country and current developments
- Does the existing institutional framework of public health cover the issues of protecting the rights of trans people? Which parameters do you think need to be improved?
- What is your view on the coverage of issues of equal access and treatment in the health and welfare system for transgender people by the National Strategy for LGBTQ+ Equality?
- What governance model could be immediately implemented to lead to the development of an institutional framework and guidelines to uphold the mental and physical rights of trans people? What should be the role of communities, local government, and medical associations?
- Is there an institutional model or best practices from another country that could be applied in our country?
The speakers participating in the Roundtable were:
- George Fludas, Psychiatrist – Psychotherapist
- Artemis Tsitsika, Professor of Pediatrics & Adolescent Health
- George Pangalos, Psychiatrist – Sexologist
- Anna Apergi, President of the Intersex Support Association (SYD)
- Orestis Yiotakos, Psychiatrist, Doctor of Medicine, University of Athens
- Heracles Mourikis, Psychiatrist, Hellenic Society of Sexology and Intersex Relations
- Alexis Pothos, Obstetric Surgeon
- Elpida – Athina Vlahopapadopoulou, Pediatrician – endocrinologist
- Takis Vidalis, member of the National Bioethics and Technology Ethics Committee
- Antonia Lazaraki, gynecologist