Ghent University Hospital to cut waiting times for transgender care

21 August 2025

Ghent University Hospital is introducing a new care pathway to address long waiting lists for transgender care more efficiently. The Centre for Sexology and Gender (CSG) will implement a new registration system designed to quickly identify the needs of patients and better refer them to the right services.

At present, 2,430 people are waiting at the CSG. Since the start of this year, individuals with questions about gender identity have also been able to access four newly accredited centres in Brussels, Limburg and the Waasland region, in addition to the existing services in Ghent and Liège. However, demand continues to exceed capacity.

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Under the new system, patients complete a questionnaire when registering through the hospital’s patient portal. This process enables the centre to gain insight into their specific needs and any care already initiated elsewhere, such as psychological counselling, legal procedures or medical treatments. With this information, the CSG can provide clearer communication about expected waiting times and make more targeted referrals.

Adults aged 24 and over who are already receiving care from a clinical psychologist or psychiatrist and who only wish to access hormone therapy or non-genital surgery will be able to obtain a direct referral to the appropriate doctor. Patients seeking only genital surgery will participate in psycho-educational group sessions as preparation. Clinical psychologists at the CSG will also continue to provide support to anyone requiring psychological care.

"There's nothing more frustrating than the feeling that your life is on hold"

The new pathway will first be applied to those who have been waiting the longest. In a later phase, it will be extended to all new registrations.

Psychosocial care coordinator Joz Motmans explained that the system should prevent patients from facing years of uncertainty: "There's nothing more frustrating than the feeling that your life is on hold. We want to meet care needs more accurately and quickly."

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