More people seeking help as they question their gender - and the NHS can't cope
It's a ticking time bomb. There aren't enough staff in specialised clinics, and general practitioners don't feel they're equipped to deal with such questions
By Miriam Stoppard
16:41, 8 NOV 2018
Updated18:45, 8 NOV 2018
"Here's a stat that should be interesting to all of us. One in 50 people is questioning their gender. But that stat gets even more interesting – the NHS can't cope with the number of patients whose gender dysphoria is so intense that it rules their lives.
They need support and care, and the NHS just doesn't have the workforce to look after them, says a BMJ article.
In London, there has been a 240% increase in referrals to gender dysphoria clinics over the past five years. In no other medical area has there been such an explosion of demand, and there's not sufficient capacity in the system.
At the moment, around 7,500 people are waiting for their first appointment. In some clinics, it's taking 18 months for patients to be seen.
It's a ticking time bomb. There aren't enough staff in specialised clinics, and general practitioners don't feel they're equipped to deal with questions about gender. For example, many transgender patients require hormone therapy for life. GPs are understandably reluctant to prescribe such long-term treatment as the hormone drugs have to be used off-label.
This has led to a spike in self-medicating with hormones from the internet, and to a spate of mental health crises, according to Jack Doyle, of Action for Trans Health, the largest UK-based campaign for trans healthcare reform and support.
"I know four trans people who have attempted or died by suicide in the past year while waiting for NHS care," he said, adding that a lot of trans people are forced to seek out private options. Some patients even opt to go abroad to overcome the long wait they face.
Under new proposals, anyone with a diagnosis of gender dysphoria registered with a GP will be able to self-refer for NHS treatments, including surgery such as genital reconstruction and mastectomy for trans men.
NHS England is looking at whether other surgical procedures, including breast enlargement , facial hair removal and reversal of genital surgery, should be made available on the NHS too.
There's another deep concern. People of a younger and younger age are expressing concerns about their gender. The average age of patients referred to gender dysphoria services is falling.
In 2014, the average age at a clinic in Nottingham was just under 30 – now it's just over 20. People who get NHS support at a younger age are less likely to pursue gender-reaffirming surgery, with around 20% of adults and 40% of children and adolescents deciding against it. They need help urgently."
https://www.irishmirror.ie/lifestyle/health/more-people-seeking-help-question-13557403
Wow 1 in 50 people?! That almost doesn't seem right... That's a lot of trans people in one area. Wow
Sent from my VS501 using Tapatalk
Yes, that sounds too high. A few months ago, the Daily Mail reported on a survey carried out at the BBC that revealed 1 in 50 of their employees identified as transgender. In the same article, the Mail gave the national average as 1 in 200.
Casady
Quote from: Casady on November 11, 2018, 02:21:54 PMYes, that sounds too high. A few months ago, the Daily Mail reported on a survey carried out at the BBC that revealed 1 in 50 of their employees identified as transgender. In the same article, the Mail gave the national average as 1 in 200.
Maybe that's because not everyone has jobs?
I think the 1 in 200 figure is for the whole population, not just those in employment. That matches up with the rough estimate of between 200,000 and 500,000 transgender people in the UK stated in a "Trans People in the UK" document published this year by the Government Equalities Office. No idea what ages would be included in such a survey, but dividing the total estimated population of 66 million by 200 gives 330,000. Even if you exclude under 10s and go for a population of 58 million, based on 1 in 50, the total number of transgender people would come to over a million; more than double that document's estimates. Also, many US estimates give rates of transgender people there as around 0.5 - 0.6%, so again that's much closer to 1 in 200.
Casady
<cue Devlyn, the broken record> ;D
I spent a lot of time on crossdresser forums before finding this site. The common wisdom there is that one in twenty men crossdresses. That's 5% of men, or 2 1/2% of the population. I think the lower numbers you see tossed about represent people who surgically transition.
I was in full nerd mode and read some info on this. One of the (obvious I think) conclusion about the increased rates of patients seeking treatment for gender disorders is the growing acceptance (or public knowledge) that its possible and that more health insurance programs have finally started to cover services. I think the study of brain structure differences that show mtf brains being arranged female before any treatment (And ftm brains being wired male) shows this is a definable medical issue and not a fetish. And let me not forget the latest DSM stating this in no longer listed as a mental illness but a purely medical issue. Hopefully some of this sinks in with more people who need treatment.