Inclusion and affirmation are not just words – they are a commitment to ensuring our LGBTQ+ patients feel welcomed, heard and understood. They are a commitment to learning from our patients and actively learning and training to ensure we practice in a non-oppressive way.
At Harley Street Health Centre, we are committed to delivering inclusive, respectful, and affirming healthcare to people of all sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions. Our clinic is a safe space for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, non-binary, intersex, and queer patients.
Our Approach to Care
We recognise that gender identity, sex assigned at birth, anatomy, and hormone status are distinct and may each be clinically relevant. Our clinicians take a personalised, individual-led approach, always explaining why certain information is required and how it is used.
We use patients’ affirmed names and pronouns at all times. Any clinical questions relating to sex or hormone therapy are asked solely to ensure medical accuracy and safety.
Why Gender Designation May Be Required
Some investigations, including blood tests, rely on laboratory reference ranges that are currently sex-specific. These ranges are influenced by hormone profiles, organ systems, and physiological factors such as haemoglobin and kidney function.
Laboratories, therefore, require a gender designation to process results correctly. This requirement is clinical and technical, not a reflection of identity.
FAQs
Which gender designation is used?
For trans patients, the designation used for laboratory reference ranges depends on hormone therapy status and duration. For individuals not on hormone therapy, reference ranges usually align with sex assigned at birth. For those on gender-affirming hormone therapy, reference ranges often align more closely with the affirmed gender after a sustained period of treatment.
As a general clinical guideline, 12 months or more of consistent hormone therapy is commonly used as the point at which many blood parameters reflect the affirmed gender more accurately. This is based on laboratory standards and clinical evidence.
Does this affect how my gender is respected?
No. Your gender identity is respected at all times. The use of a particular reference range is purely for medical interpretation and is never intended to misgender or invalidate you.
Non-binary patients
We respect non-binary identities. Where laboratories require a binary designation, our clinicians will use the most clinically appropriate option based on hormone use, anatomy, and overall health, and will discuss this openly with you.
Our Commitment
We are committed to being better all of the time – where we fall short, we want to know about it so we can improve. But our commitment is to your well-being, your care, and your chosen identity.
