Wed 17 Sep 2014 In: New Zealand Daily News View at Wayback View at NDHA
File photo There's hope the waiting list for gender reassignment will see a significant reduction, with the retirement of New Zealand’s only specialist surgeon. Peter Walker retired earlier this year and no other plastic surgeons have raised their hands to take over. Until a new surgical team is available, surgeries are to be carried out overseas – something many in the trans community say means first rate surgeries for a lower price. The Health Ministry funds four gender reassignment surgeries every two years, three MtF and one FtM, and there are currently 61 people on the waiting list. Kelly Ellis from TransAdvocates says Dr Walker’s departure means that surgery will now be performed by superior surgeons with better techniques at a lower cost. “If funding levels are kept the same, the waiting list should see a significant reduction. We can all be happy about that.” Dr Walker has been divisive, and Ellis believes his retirement means the trans community in New Zealand “can breathe a sigh of relief” She feels his surgical techniques are out of date and he has had a less than stellar history. Dr Walker infamously made headlines in 2006 when tried to check in a bag containing used surgery gowns, a blood-soaked towel and instruments in steel trays at Queenstown Airport. He said he alerted airport staff to the stain on arrival, while the Medical Council later required him to undertake “further education” and make “significant changes to his practice”.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Wednesday, 17th September 2014 - 9:32am