Hospitalization and Patients’ Rights

תאריך עדכון:

According to the policy of the Mental Health Division of the Ministry of Health, the rights of a patient on the trans spectrum are:

Addressing, Registration, and Medical Confidentiality

  • The patient should be allowed to use their preferred pronouns according to their gender identity, and the patient should be addressed using their chosen name and preferred pronouns regardless of what appears on legal documents. Note that these details should appear on any records that are visible to all patients, such as attendance, duty rosters, etc.
  • With the patient’s permission, the patient’s preferred name and gender should appear on medical documents, alongside the details as they appear in the Population Registry under the ‘sex’ clause.
  • Mental health information is considered “highly confidential”. As such, therapists are not permitted to reveal information about a patient’s gender identity or treatments they may be undergoing without the patient’s permission. In exceptional cases that would require the transfer of private information without permission, the situation in question would need to go through an ethics committee or get approval from a senior administrator of the institution.

 

Living Accommodations during Hospitalization

  • Trans people should be allowed to choose a service provider regardless of the selection area based on place of residence, within the constraints of professional and systemic opinions of the treatment team, in coordination with the HMO, and based on the availability of the service.
  • The use of designated gendered facilities (rooms, showers, and toilets) should be allowed according to the patient’s gender, or as an alternative, there should be ungendered facilities designated for use of all genders. In any case, ungendered facilities should have clear signage.
  • If possible, the patient should be allowed to have a room to themselves, in a mixed or separated facility according to the patient’s preference, including a bathroom.

 

Staff Training

  • It is recommended that every psychiatric hospital and psychiatric ward in a general hospital has at least one staff member who has undergone training regarding the trans spectrum and relevant subjects, for example how HRT as gender-affirming treatment can affect mental health.
  • Every hospital is responsible for appropriate and respectful accommodation for trans people that aligns with how they self-identify, including staff training.
  • Project Gila and Maavarim training projects – it is possible to order customized training for care and support staff in either a face-to-face or online meeting, focusing on effective work with the trans community. For more information: https://www.gilaproject.org/lectures-lp

 

Hospitalization of Minors

  • Generally speaking, all of the above holds regarding the rights of minors on the trans spectrum.
  • It is necessary to establish a treatment contract with the parents at the beginning of the therapy that protects the minor’s right to privacy from their parents and defines what information can or cannot be given to them. If the caregiver believes that certain information should not be given to the parents, this must get approved by an ethics committee or court ruling.
  • Alongside treatment for the child/teen, it is important to provide parents with support and guidance, as well as in the educational/social setting if necessary (with the child or guardian’s permission). This is to promote a safe and affirming environment for the child/teen.

 

For Further Reading