I'm receiving financial support from the UK state because I'm unable to work (due to PTSD and IBS). The system is supposed to have assessed me nearly 3 months ago (the government farms this job out to a private company called ATOS, famous for being crap and slow). Meanwhile, I'm on a very low rate of support until I get assessed, and am having to spend my limited savings and sell my possessions to survive. Of course I'm grateful to be getting any support at all, but this waiting and being broke is very stressful, and makes my condition worse.
So today, I finally got to go in for my assessment interview. The nurse assessing me asked me to tell her what was going on at the moment, and I began explaining my situation. I mentioned that I was receiving therapy from the GIC, and she said "Oh, so you're going for gender reassignment? That wasn't in your notes." I pointed out that I'd mentioned it clearly right there in the "what medication are you taking and why?" section - though of course I didn't include it under "ailments preventing you from working", since my gender transition is neither an ailment, nor is it preventing me from working.
Nevertheless, she said she couldn't assess me, that because I'm transitioning I have to be seen by a doctor, as she hadn't received the training specific to my situation - so they're going to send me a new appointment. I Pointed out that my PTSD predates my transition, and that my transition is not the thing preventing me from working, and asked her to explain why I needed special assessment, but all she'd say was that it was protocol for my situation.
I'm deeply pissed off, and also concerned that they have a trip-switch that seems to assume that for anyone transitioning, their transition is somehow the cause of their mental health issues. I feel a strong letter to ATOS coming on, and will pin down the doctor I eventually get to see about this for an explanation.
Meanwhile, I don't get more money until they assess me. Aragh.
