Thread by @BlueFawkes1

Next session starting shortly!

🔗ftc.heysummit.com/talks/trans-no…

@nathansparkling hosting

@oceanamaund, @DrRuthMcKenna, Oliver Wain presenting

#FastTrackScot

Ah sorry, not Nathan as our host.

Oceana starting us off, they're from Scottish Trans which looks to improve rights for trans people in Scotland.

Saying that trying to tackle the NHS as a whole is a huge task so focussing on specialised services is more manageable

Scotland is behind the rest of the UK in the way it handles trans issues in terms of health care especially sexual health care.

Is very grateful to have gotten to work with waverly care.

Oliver is running us through the project now.

They found there was a lack of literature- especially in Scotland - around trans healthcare.

Notes that we don't collect trans info in census so lack data.

We know that accessing sexual health services is something that creates anxiety for the trans community.

Need more advocacy of #PrEP use in trans people. The number of trans people in Scotland taking PrEP is ridiculously low (only 17 people out of over 3k prescriptions)

The trans community is very concerned about transphobic especially due to the gender recognition act consultation

The project was peer led.

Started with a survey that received 289 responses. Then moved on to focus groups and interviews.

All travel expenses were paid, meals were provided and participants were paid for their time.

8 members of NHS staff were interviewed.

The NHS interviews focussed on knowledge of trans issues and comfort interacting with the trans community.

Moving now to Ruth, from Waverly Care, to discuss the findings.

The majority of respondents were central belt based, aged 18-34, gender split - 21% female, 30% male...

41% non-binary, 8% another way.

40% of participants had visited an NHS sexual health clinic in the last 2 years.

60% reported positive experiences but with a significant dip for non-binary individuals.

Room for improvement around access to #PrEP especially for nb people

The report looked at different social levels.

Individually: fear of accessing services. Access to knowledge was a factor.

Social/community: support from family/friends was very important in helping trans people access sexual health services. Many trans people used YouTube &

Other community created resources as their main source of information but people wanted a way to make sure the information was fact checked and accurate.

Organisational: accessibility is an issue that needs addressed. Data sharing was a concern of the community. Practitioner

Training around trans issues especially trans & nb #PrEP sexual healthcare would be ideal. Put the expectation on the practitioner to educate themselves rather than relying on the individual to provide education.

Policy: transphobic is at an all time high. Austerity is a known

Issue and creates limitations for service provisions.

Practitioners: want more training made available to them.

Recommendations: ensure that trans people's access to sexual health services is made a priority. Bring forward reform of gender recognition act. Make sure services

Have gender neutral options. Make public comments to equality. Make transparency about option to access services using a fake name. Ensure staff have access to wide variety of training including in depth training on specific trans issues. Hire trans people. Ask name & pronouns

As part of routine services. Avoid assumptions. Be transparent about electronic records.

(I'm paraphrasing and taking cliff notes, there's so much being covered)

Work with trans people is one of the main and most repeated recommendations.

Question section.

Q: any idea as to the number of people accessing gender services.

A: 2123 waiting more than 2 million days to be seen. Waiting lists are going up. Services have been failing to keep up since 2016. The level of negative attention is very detrimental - Oceana

Q: how can we encourage more trans & nb to use our services - Jimmy, @THTScotland

A: consider your names (in ref to men only tayside). Refer to the third sector recommendations in the report. Consider partnering with trans specific groups. Be welcoming - Oliver & Ruth & Oceana

By specialising services it can isolate the community by creating the idea that they're too complicated to deal with. Small messages of support can make a huge difference. - Oceana (paraphrased)

Include trans people in staff and that will help raise confidence within the

Community about that service being trans friendly. - Oliver

Make sure all resources are inclusive - talk about anatomy and types of sex rather than gender. - Ruth

Q: what would you do differently if doing this research project over again?

A: would like more engagement from outside of the central belt. Connect with stealth trans & SW trans community. - Oliver

Would've liked more time to get a larger engagement. Lacked trans women - Ruth

Would have liked a more positive environment for this project to be happening in. - Oceana

Q: were there other experiences in clinics that people identified as a barrier to accessing #PrEP

A: knowing PrEP existed was a barrier. It needs to be marketed to the trans community. Feeling marginalised in other ways than just being trans made it more difficult. - Ruth

Layering of barriers leaves people exhausted and not wanting to try and figure out what people can access. Lack of awareness is definitely an issue. - Oliver

Q: do you noticed any increased stigma for SW's in trans spaces?

A: orgs can't always show public support due to where funding comes from. I feel that spaces are inclusive but acknowledge that im not a SW so limited ability to speak on this. - Oliver

Not noticed any change in

How the trans community feels about sex work or Sex Workers. - Oceana

We've ran out of time for questions but this has been a wonderfully informative session. Looking forward to the next one!