We welcome news that SA Health have started planning for delivery of gender affirming surgery in South Australia’s public hospital system.
The Gender Affirming Surgery Service Design Team commenced in September 2024 and includes a Peer Advisor, our very own CEO Varo, along with a consumer advisory group of trans and gender diverse South Australians.
Dr Nicola Dean (she/her) | Head of Unit and Specialist Plastic Surgeon at the
Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
Tracy Smart RN (she/her) | Nurse
Consultant
Varo (they/them) | Peer Advisor and trans
non-binary community leader
Hester Lacey (she/her) | Registered Medical Officer
SA Health’s data shows that between 18 November to 7 March 2025, 245 trans and gender diverse South Australians aged 18 and older sought gender affirming surgery, with most seeking top and bottom surgery.
This is an important step towards equitable access to healthcare for trans and gender South Australians, and we look forward to supporting SA Health in their planning.
Varo and the Consumer Advisory Group