I received an email through the GSI (government secure intranet) as I've been participating in ongoing surveys regarding the UK government's Plan Of Action regarding transgender equality. The email includes a copy of
Gender Dysphoria Services - An English Protocol.doc (I've posted this doc on my own server, since I couldn't find a pukka download link to it), and a link to a survey inviting further comment on whether people's experience of transitioning through the NHS matches with the guidelines laid out in this document. The email says:
In December 2011, the Government published Advancing Transgender Equality: A Plan for Action which includes commitments across a number of Government departments. This includes a commitment for the Department of Health (DH) to commission and publish a clear and concise guide on transgender care pathways aimed at health practitioners and the transgender community.
DH wants the final document to outline the current position for transgender people seeking gender reassignment services through the NHS. A draft guide is attached and DH is seeking the views of stakeholders, via the SurveyMonkey survey, to find out if the 'journey' outlined in the document reflects the experience transgender people actually have and, where there are differences, what they are.
DH would be grateful if you could complete the SurveyMonkey survey, giving them your views on the attached draft guide. Closing date for comments is Friday 28 September 2012.The survey link:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/PM89W3CIf you're in the UK, please read the doc, and then respond to the survey.
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p4 of the protocol document states:
Some clinicians might also refer to the USA specific diagnostic system, the fourth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-IVTR), which states that Gender Identity Disorder "is a medical condition in which there is strong and persistent cross-gender identification and a persistent discomfort with the sex or a sense of inappropriateness in the gender role of sex".I have made a point of responding to this in the survey, thus:
"p4 of the document states 'Some clinicians might also refer to the USA ... DSM-IV ... which states that Gender Identity Disorder...'. if this is going to be mentioned in this document, it is very important also to mention there that DSM-V, which supercedes DSM-IV and is due for publication later this year, deprecates the diagnosis of Gender Identity Disorder in favour of Gender Dysphoria, recognising that what is being dealt with is not a "disorder" - the older diagnosis was reflective of a prejuduced attitude towards people with Gender Dysphoria as suffering from a mental disorder, and in the main, US clinicians support this change of diagnosis. It is therefore vital that any UK clinicians referring to the DSM for guidance be referring to the new version once it is published, and be made aware of this change."
