
GENDER AFFIRMING CARE - ADULTS
Dr Darren practices gender affirming care in accordance with the 2024 AUSPATH: Australian Informed Consent Standards of Care for Gender Affirming Hormonal Therapy. Psychiatric assessment is not required prior to treatment under the informed consent model of care with Dr Darren if you are over 18 years of age and have the capacity to understand the risks and benefits of treatment.
The standards of care outline the stages of assessment for and prescription of gender affirming hormonal care:

Stage 1
Introduction

Stage 2
Initial medical review

Stage 3
Hormone education & harm reduction

Stage 4
Hormone initiation (or continuation)

Stage 5
Ongoing monitoring & support
Dr Darren will work with you through these stages over several appointments, usually in conjunction with your general practitioner. Please be aware that everyone is unique and assessment time is highly variable depending on your individual circumstances and the complexity of your needs. If you have not been on hormonal treatment before, this process will take at least two extended (45 minutes) appointments at least 1 week apart (to allow time for any blood results to come back and for you to look over and understand the consent form).

Hormonal gender affirmation is a cooperative process and the purpose of these detailed assessment appointments is for Dr Darren to get to know you and to develop mutual trust and respect where you are the primary decision maker in your care. Dr Darren recognises that Trans and Gender Diverse people are experts in their own experiences and needs. He takes the time to get to know you and understand your needs so that he can develop, in collaboration with you, personalised, safe and effective medical gender affirming care plans and achieve the best possible outcomes.
Some individuals will have complex care needs that require psychiatric or other medical input. Dr Darren will discuss this with you at your appointment and arrange referral if necessary. If you already see a non-GP specialist for other health care needs, please bring their contact details to your appointment so Dr Darren can include them in correspondence.
