What is it about?

Endoscopy has a paucity of guidance, understanding and knowledge around care standards for transgender and gender diverse individuals (GDI), therefore there is a vacuum and urgent need to address this area. This article aims to increase understanding of transgender patients and provide some easy changes that healthcare practitioners can all make in endoscopy units practice to ensure a welcoming, safe and understanding environment.

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Why is it important?

There are approximately 300 000 people who identify as transgender (trans) living in England, and predictions of rapid service demand and expansion will see an increase in the number of transgender and gender-diverse individuals accessing endoscopy services. Often, healthcare professionals lack the confidence and skill to care for this patient group, which has resulted in substantial barriers for the transgender community when accessing health services. Healthcare services need to evolve physically, environmentally and philosophically to increase practitioner understanding of gender diversity and diversity in sex characteristics, to ensure that all patients receive a high standard of care and safety.

Perspectives

Support and allyship from healthcare professionals is critical to the transgender community, especially within the current UK climate. I believe it’s important for the transgender community to see trans people leading education and research, and I hope that my personal and professional experience encourages readers to reflect on their own practice, and to implement changes within their departments to ensure best practice for transgender patients.

Mx Julian Layhe

Read the Original

This page is a summary of: Beyond the binary: interventions in endoscopy to improve the experience of adult transgender and gender-diverse patients, Gastrointestinal Nursing, April 2025, Mark Allen Group,
DOI: 10.12968/gasn.2024.0121.
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