Bridging Gaps in Trans Healthcare: UCL’s Lecture Series on Community-Clinician Engagement

Held at Charles Bell House, the event provided a crucial platform for discussing healthcare challenges affecting trans individuals, covering topics such as sexual health, immunity, and fertility. Organized by, Dr Chloe He, researcher, and Anji Suri, LGBTQ+ Officer at UCL Student’s Union, committed to trans-inclusive healthcare, the series aims to bridge critical knowledge and accessibility gaps.

Beyond Academia: Lived Experiences and Open Dialogue

"Patients rarely get to meet the clinicians and researchers who are working on trans healthcare outside of clinical settings, where interactions tend to be transactional and impersonal"

“A lot of trans people are mistrustful of the healthcare system due to historical transphobia,” Chloe explained. “At the same time, many researchers conduct studies without actually meeting trans individuals. This series allows for open dialogue and networking beyond the clinical setting.” The lack of direct engagement between healthcare providers and trans individuals, coupled with historical transphobia and systemic discrimination, has led to poor healthcare experiences.

The event provided a space for meaningful engagement; a highlight was the interactive Q&A session, where attendees shared personal experiences, asked questions, and discussed real-world implications of healthcare policies and clinical practices. The session concluded with an informal networking event, offering attendees an opportunity to engage beyond formal clinical interactions. Additionally, the series aims to increase clinicians' sensitivity to the lived experience of transgender patients, ultimately enhancing the quality of care given.

Expert Talks: Addressing Critical Health Concerns

• Dr Tom Witney presented sexual health services in the UK, “One way or another you’re not going to fit,” highlighted systemic barriers and the urgent need for more inclusive sexual health services.
• Dr Hannah Peckham provided crucial insights into how hormone therapy affects immunity, challenging existing biomedical assumptions and calling for more trans-inclusive immunology research.
• Dr Chloe He discussed fertility options for trans and gender-diverse individuals, debunking myths and outlining advancements in reproductive healthcare.

Challenges in Trans Healthcare

Despite ongoing efforts, significant barriers persist in trans healthcare. Chloe outlined some of the challenges:

• Lack of Medical Education – Most medical schools do not include trans healthcare in their curriculum, leaving many clinicians unprepared to address trans-specific health needs.
• Underfunding and Research Gaps – There is a lack of investment in trans healthcare research, leading to limited evidence-based guidelines and inconsistent care.

Networking Beyond the Lecture Hall

A unique aspect of the series is its emphasis on informal engagement. The event concluded with a social mixer, allowing attendees to interact beyond formal clinical and academic settings. “We call it a networking session, but in reality, it’s more of a mixer,” Dr. Chloe shared. “It’s crucial because it provides a space where people can engage beyond rigid professional boundaries.”

"Researchers often work on trans healthcare without consulting the community. By connecting them with trans individuals, we ensure that research and policy decisions are informed by real lived experiences." The event is not just about discussing problems but actively building networks and solutions that can improve trans healthcare.

Looking Ahead: The Future of Trans Healthcare at UCL

These events provide a vital forum for trans individuals, healthcare professionals, and researchers to collaboratively address healthcare disparities and advocate for more inclusive practices, initiatives like these offer hope for a more equitable and compassionate future in medicine.

“It’s hard to predict where the future of trans healthcare will be in coming years, In some regions, we may see progress, but in others, access to care might become even more restricted,” that recent policy trends in the English-speaking world have been a combination of steps forward and backward. Although some countries may adopt improved policies and medical interventions, others may enact additional restrictions, thereby making gender-affirming care harder to obtain, Dr. Chloe noted.

Despite the uncertain landscape, systemic change remains a long-term goal, and initiatives like this lecture series play a crucial role in engagement, education, and collaboration. By bringing together diverse voices, UCL is laying the foundation for more inclusive and informed trans healthcare.

"We have to be realistic about how much impact we can have on the big picture, but we can focus on what we can change within the UCL community and beyond."

While the road ahead remains complex, grassroots efforts like these demonstrate the power of community-driven change – one conversation at a time.

Article written by Vaishnavi Pillewar