Symposium

 

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Closing the healthcare service gaps for transgender and gender diverse community in Hong Kong

27 May 2023 (Sat) 2 - 6:30pm

Venue: Kino, 1/F, Eaton HK, 380 Nathan Rd, Jordan

Free of charge. Limited seats available.

Background

Health professionals can assist transgender, gender diverse and gender nonconforming people with safe and effective pathways to achieving lasting personal comfort, in order to maximize their overall health, psychological well-being, and self-fulfillment. Such assistance may include primary care, mental health services (including assessment, counseling and psychotherapy), voice and communication therapy, hormonal use, as well as surgical and reproductive health services. The World Professional Association for Transgender Health Standards of Care (WPATH SOC) provides a valuable international clinical reference. 

In Hong Kong, gender-affirming healthcare services have much room for improvement, especially for the underage population. The only Gender Identity Clinic in Hong Kong is located at Prince of Wales Hospital. It only accepts individuals who are aged 18 or above, with a long waiting time for new cases. Non-prescribed hormone use among young people is not uncommon, and is especially worrying when lacking any proper  counseling services and medical assessment. Moreover, comprehensive sexuality education is not widely implemented in schools; and misconceptions in sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics (SOGIESC) are pervasive in schools, families, even healthcare settings. Such public education and service gaps result in poorer physical and mental health outcomes that are in fact preventable.

Objectives of Event

  1. To describe the elements of holistic and multidisciplinary gender-affirming healthcare, especially for underage individuals;

  2. To identify the challenges and opportunities for enhancing gender-affirming healthcare in Hong Kong

Programme Rundown

13:30 - 14:00 Registration and Networking

14:00 - 14:15 Opening remarks (Dr Winston Goh, Co-founder, HKLGBT Medical Society)

14:15 - 14:45 Depathologization of transgender and gender diverse identities: what it means for healthcare providers (Dr Zephyrus Tsang)
- Latest updates with ICD and DSM, and implications on healthcare delivery and training for professionals

14:45 - 15:30 The role of counselors, clinical psychologists and psychiatrists (Dr Gordon Wong and Mr Alex Lam)
- The range of mental health services to be provided

15:30 - 16:00 Gender-affirming voice training for transgender individuals (Mr Cheung Wing Yeung, Wing)
- The role of speech therapists

16:00 - 16:15 Break and Networking

16:15 - 17:00 Gender-affirming hormone therapy (Dr Rose ZW Ting)
- Hormone use in adolescents and adults

17:00 - 17:30 Sharing from trans youths of Quarks (speakers TBC)
- User experience of Gender Identity Clinic, and other gender-affirming services

17:30 - 18:30 Panel discussion: Building support across family, school and healthcare settings (Facilitator: Dr Sam Li)
- What are the essential elements of primary care for transgender and gender diverse individuals? When and how to refer to gender-affirming services?
- What are issues faced by transgender and gender diverse individuals in family and school? How can health professionals, among all stakeholders, provide support?

Speakers bios (alphabetical order)

Mr CHEUNG Wing Yeung, Wing (he/him) is a speech therapist based in Hong Kong. He is a member of the Hong Kong Association of Speech Therapists. He is currently specializing in working with young adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder. He is also interested in gender affirming related speech, language and communication training, and he has been providing group training for the local community.

Dr. Winston GOH (he/him) is a Specialist in Family Medicine and works as a Primary Care Physician at OT&P healthcare, a private multi-specialty medical group in Central, Hong Kong. He obtained his medical degree from the University of Hong Kong in 2001 and subsequently obtained his MRCGP training in the UK, as well as board certification in Family Medicine in the US. Dr. Goh volunteered at the San Francisco Community Health Center between 2010 to 2015, caring for homeless patients living with HIV, people with different sexual orientations and gender identity. Dr Goh co-founded the Hong Kong LGBT Medical Society in 2018, with a mission to improve the access and quality of health care for the local LGBTQ+ community in Hong Kong and to remove the stigma behind being LGBTQ+ in medicine.

Dr. KWOK Kan, Diana (she/her) is Associate Professor in the Department of Special Education and Counselling,the Education University of Hong Kong. Dr. Kwok is a registered social worker, approved counselor supervisor, and expressive arts and sex therapist. She used to work in school, family, mental health, and LGBT service settings, in Hong Kong, and in the U.S.. Besides providing counseling supports to transgender youth and their families in community context, she also provides professional training and clinical supervision to social workers, counsellors, and mental health practitioners on sexuality education, and sexual diversity counseling in universities, NGOs, and government organizations. Dr. Kwok’s research interest focuses on the experience of LGBQ/transgender students and cultural competence of teachers/counselors/social workers working with LGBTQ+students.

Mr LAM Ho Ming Alex (he/him) obtained his master in clinical psychology in CUHK. He is a clinical psychologist since 2003. He is a trainer on sex and sexual minorities. His publications include 我是同志？自我保護手冊, 同志親密伴侶暴力 and 跨越兩代的性別鴻溝.

Dr LI Wing Sum, Sam (he/him) is a trainee in Community Medicine (Public Health Medicine). He was a research intern at World Health Organization Health Systems Cluster (Geneva), as well as United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (Amman). He was also an initiator and commissioner in Lancet Youth Commission on Essential Medicines Policies, which published on recommendations to make medicines available and affordable worldwide. Dr Li obtained his MBChB degree in CUHK, as well as LLM (Technology and Intellectual Property Law) in HKU. Currently, he is studying part time to pursue MSc in Global Health Policy at LSHTM. In the Hong Kong LGBT Medical Society, he is volunteering as a steering group member and secretary. He is also the lead investigator in the Society’s needs assessment on LGBT+ health promotion.

Dr Rose ZW TING (she/her) graduated from HKU in 2005. After her internship in the Department of Medicine and Therapeutics of the Prince of Wales Hospital and other 2 hospitals, she joined the department as a resident in 2006. She obtained her fellowship in endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism in 2012. She was promoted to associate consultant of the Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Prince of Wales Hospital in 2015. Her publications in public health sector focused on diabetology especially on the mental and behavioural aspect in patients with type 2 diabetes, such as the epidemiology of type 2 diabetes and depression. She went to private practice in Nov 2015. Currently she has her solo practice in private sector. In 2014-2015, Dr Ting was involved in the centralized transgender clinic in Hong Kong; her major duty was to offer endocrine assessment and hormonal therapy to transgender clients. After going to private health sector, she continues to serve and offer hormonal therapy to transgender population.

Dr TSANG Ling Yin, Zephyrus (he/him) is a transgender gay male based in Hong Kong. He is the co-founder and vice chairperson of Quarks, the first and by far the only organization targeting transgender youth in Hong Kong. He shares the same goals with Quarks, to build a community for his peers, and promote gender diversity and inclusion. Zephyrus is also a doctor, and part of the steering committee of the Hong Kong LGBT Medical Society.

Dr Gordon WONG (he/him) was born in Hong Kong but spent his formative years in the UK. He completed his medical school in the University of Hong Kong. He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Psychiatrists in the UK, and a specialist in psychiatry in Hong Kong. Apart from pharmacological treatment, he is interested in various methods of psychotherapies. He holds a masters degree in counselling studies. He is in private practice in Causeway Bay.

Organizers

Hong Kong LGBT Medical Society is a space for healthcare professionals and students interested in LGBTQI+ health. It hosts regular networking and academic events. 

Website: www.hklgbtmedicalsociety.org

Quarks is the first and by far the only registered organization targeting at transgender youth in Hong Kong. As a trans-led organization, it provides peer support, and recommendation of professional services if needed. Instagram: www.instagram.com/quarkshk/

Acknowledgement

Eaton HK for the venue support