Health Care Professionals Stalling Treatment

[Jonie]

In my Trans-journey there's something I've noticed in the health care field among those that feel Tran sexuality is wrong. Knowing that they need to be careful to not open themselves to any adverse treatment because of their views, they will employ a tactic of stalling treatment, keeping the help you need just out of reach.
Anybody else notice this? I would appreciate your thoughts on this subject...

[Berliegh]

In my Trans-journey there's something I've noticed in the health care field among those that feel Tran sexuality is wrong. Knowing that they need to be careful to not open themselves to any adverse treatment because of their views, they will employ a tactic of stalling treatment, keeping the help you need just out of reach.
Anybody else notice this? I would appreciate your thoughts on this subject...

I was stalled for 6 years!

I spent 6 years attending a clinic in the NHS GIC system in the U.K (2001 - 2007) and wasn't able to access any treatment though the NHS. The NHS is a kind of tax we pay towards our own healthcare in the U.K and according to the medics there are facilities for treatment of gender dysphoria through the NHS.

After 2 years of begging the NHS GIC clinic for hormones I eventually went to see a private consultant to start on them. The same happened with my requests for 4 referrals, I was denied everything. The clinic aknowledged that I complied with the HBSOC and their own protocol, had been living RLT for over 4 years yet I was denied any form of treatment without explanation. My health authority (PCT) are now looking inro this case on my behalf as they have lost £1,000 a year on sending me to a clinic which did not facilitate treatment but instead chose to profit from my health authority and other health authorities.

I am now slowly working my way through private treatment which is very expensive. I have lost 6 years of my life and I am seeking legal advice. I reported the clinic to the Healthcare Commisssion, Department of health and various other legal bodies who are now looking into this case and many others like it.

[lighting]

In my Trans-journey there's something I've noticed in the health care field among those that feel Tran sexuality is wrong. Knowing that they need to be careful to not open themselves to any adverse treatment because of their views, they will employ a tactic of stalling treatment, keeping the help you need just out of reach.
Anybody else notice this? I would appreciate your thoughts on this subject...

I was stalled for 6 years!

I spent 6 years attending a clinic in the NHS GIC system in the U.K (2001 - 2007) and wasn't able to access any treatment though the NHS. The NHS is a kind of tax we pay towards our own healthcare in the U.K and according to the medics there are facilities for treatment of gender dysphoria through the NHS.

After 2 years of begging the NHS GIC clinic for hormones I eventually went to see a private consultant to start on them. The same happened with my requests for 4 referrals, I was denied everything. The clinic aknowledged that I complied with the HBSOC and their own protocol, had been living RLT for over 4 years yet I was denied any form of treatment without explanation. My health authority (PCT) are now looking inro this case on my behalf as they have lost £1,000 a year on sending me to a clinic which did not facilitate treatment but instead chose to profit from my health authority and other health authorities.

I am now slowly working my way through private treatment which is very expensive. I have lost 6 years of my life and I am seeking legal advice. I reported the clinic to the Healthcare Commisssion, Department of health and various other legal bodies who are now looking into this case and many others like it.

hi
i feel for you i am so sorry to hear how you was treated  its so wrong i pray you find some peace over this and that you dont let it affect you to much

i wish you all the best and success  with your case  and hope something is done about it

best wishes from a friend
amanda

[lolli]

I feel that I am being stalled too.
The clinic I attend in the UK would like me to attend the group sessions but due to my job I am unable to get regular days off each week to attend these sessions, so they wont allow me to partiscipate in any of them in case I upset the balance of the group by my coming and going.
Thats fair enough.
However I am being made to travel this path alone gleaning help from each person I pass hoping for information that will be usefull to me.
Take my beautician at the salon, she has some information for me from some of the other TS girls that attend her salon.
I dont mind paying for hormone treatment, and I can understand the system would rather check to make sure first that I am really TS before giving me access to hormones, just to cover their backs.
But the system is way too slow over here.
They get money in the form of grants but stall us moving forward so that we have to travel at their pace, as and when they are ready for me to take each step.

[Berliegh]

I feel that I am being stalled too.
The clinic I attend in the UK would like me to attend the group sessions but due to my job I am unable to get regular days off each week to attend these sessions, so they wont allow me to partiscipate in any of them in case I upset the balance of the group by my coming and going.

I dont mind paying for hormone treatment, and I can understand the system would rather check to make sure first that I am really TS before giving me access to hormones, just to cover their backs.

Sounds like Charing Cross GIC to me....they blackmailed me into going to the group sessions and said if I didn't attend the sessions they wouldn't give me any treatment.....I attended the group for two years and they still didn't offer any treatment....

As for hormones I attended the Charing Cross clinic for two years and they still didn't let me go on hormones (I had already changed my name, ID, Driving licence, bank details etc) so in the end I had to see a private psychiatrist consultant. I started on hormones the same day and arranged an NHS prescription through my GP. It was money well spent and if I had done this at the start I would have saved myself 2 years...

The NHS U.K gender clinic system is a waste of time and I urge anyone who is serious about transitioning to avoid it......

[jonjon]

sometimes avoiding it isn't an option though. I'm currently waiting for my first appointment at the gender clinic. I've already bee referred (earlier this February) but they contacted to tell me my 1st appointment is very likely to be in 2yrs time.

And there is absolutely no way i'd be able to get any money together to get any private treatment. Otherwise i would. I'd give almost anything up to just get on hormones right now.

[Berliegh]

sometimes avoiding it isn't an option though. I'm currently waiting for my first appointment at the gender clinic. I've already bee referred (earlier this February) but they contacted to tell me my 1st appointment is very likely to be in 2yrs time.

And there is absolutely no way i'd be able to get any money together to get any private treatment. Otherwise i would. I'd give almost anything up to just get on hormones right now.

The NHS GIC waiting list can be anything up to 4 years! They will stall you as much as possible in order to get the maximum amount of money from your Health Authority (PCT) without treating you. They will lose notes, mix up files, cancel appointments at short notice and generally make things difficult for you. It's a cat and mouse game from start to finish...

When I went to Charing Cross GIC in London I thought they would have a proper treatment program, treatment timescale and technicians and surgeons trained in gender dysphoria but this wasn't the case and some people had been attending the clinic for 10 years and still hadn't accessed any treatment. It was a huge let down and it was clear the aim wasn't to help people but merely bully and cause them distress.

I can't afford private treatment either but it's my only option..

As for hormones you don't need to wait two years to go to a NHS GIC clinic to start on hormones.....go see a private gender specialist consultant and you might get on them straight away.....speak to your GP about it....

[Rachael]

upto 4?
try 6,which is how long im waiting just to SEE a therapist. thankfully im seeing an endo and getting my hrt now because im IS and its seen as corrective.

[lolli]

I knew another Ts in Plymouth (Devon) whom I had had a relationship with and she read me straight away and gave me the book True Selfs to read.
Also she told me to go and see my Doctor and Jayne gave the details of everyone she had used to help her.
I duly contact my doc and asked her to refer me to the south devon clinic and could she apply for Pct funding.
Three months later I reveived a phone call from my doc saying funding had been agreed and that I would be hearing from the clinic.
About a month later I received my first of three appointments each one a month apart.
Now I am on the second stage of funding which entails meetings with my Therapist and laser treatment in Exter.
But as yet no Hormones and cover letter.
I need the letter for work and many other things I do in my social life.

[Rachael]

hardly stalling... lucky for some...

[Berliegh]

I knew another Ts in Plymouth (Devon) whom I had had a relationship with and she read me straight away and gave me the book True Selfs to read.
Also she told me to go and see my Doctor and Jayne gave the details of everyone she had used to help her.
I duly contact my doc and asked her to refer me to the south devon clinic and could she apply for Pct funding.
Three months later I reveived a phone call from my doc saying funding had been agreed and that I would be hearing from the clinic.
About a month later I received my first of three appointments each one a month apart.
Now I am on the second stage of funding which entails meetings with my Therapist and laser treatment in Exter.
But as yet no Hormones and cover letter.
I need the letter for work and many other things I do in my social life.

You must be doing well to get PCT funding for laser treatment. I tried for many years to get my laser NHS funded but was unable to get it. I paid in excess of £3,000  on laser and LHT.  Your PCT may be a lot more generous..

[Rachael]

her pct seems magical!

[Berliegh]

her pct seems magical!

Yes, it's a bloomin' miracle Rachael.....I've fought tooth and nail with my PCT. But it is very unusual for a PCT to fund laser...

[Rachael]

very, but it can happen, just not as a Ts thing. i know a friend who got it, as her endo said shes a woman, and other women can have it...

[Berliegh]

very, but it can happen, just not as a Ts thing. i know a friend who got it, as her endo said shes a woman, and other women can have it...

Yes, a genetic female is more likely to get laser than a TS , that's obvious....

As a TS is more naturally inclined to have beard growth than a genetic female and PCT's emmediately will see that as a different case..

[Rachael]

but would they give a ts female with less facial hair than a natal female laser over a hairyer natal female? or is it just trans women they block hmm?

[Jonie]

I would like to thank you all for answering this post. It has become clear to me that I am not the only one who has faced this problem. I find it puzzling that in all the world, England is the only place this happens.  I live in the US and yet it happened to me, but why isn't anyone from the US or anyplace else talking about this?

[Berliegh]

but would they give a ts female with less facial hair than a natal female laser over a hairyer natal female? or is it just trans women they block hmm?

They would be more inclined to block a transsexual than a genetic female which is probably deep rooted in prejudice. Although genetic females fight tooth and nail just as we do to gain an access in this area.

The NHS is a tough nut to crack..

[Rachael]

as i thought, the system that heals us hurts us...

[seldom]

I would like to thank you all for answering this post. It has become clear to me that I am not the only one who has faced this problem. I find it puzzling that in all the world, England is the only place this happens.  I live in the US and yet it happened to me, but why isn't anyone from the US or anyplace else talking about this?

Quite literally, its not as much of an issue in the US.  Most gender therapist in the US are under AEGIS, which basically states three months of therapy than HRT, some are even more loose with the SoC minimum and ignore it for HRT.

The US we pay for it, but HRT is readily available.

Additionally in big cities with LGBT clinics are actually BETTER than UK gender clinics.  The gay community has basically given us a way to get HRT on the cheap and easy, because we are seen as "traditionally underserved" group of queer people.  You have to live within driving distance of one of these clinics, but I know people who travel 2-3 hours just to get to one.  No waiting list either.  They are also very cheap and are on a sliding scale, so even if you do not have insurance, you still get inexpensive medical care.  These clinics often have therapist on staff for inexpensive prices as well.  LGBT clinics are the closest thing to socialized medicine in the states, the queer community has develoted a ton of fundraising to forming and maintaining these clinics, its is probably the ONLY benefit to being LGBT in the US. 

The complaints are going to come from the UK and Canada because there is a Blanchard system in place in many places in the UK.  Which is RLT and maybe HRT, if you are lucky.   US on the other hand...its very different.  Blanchard is seen as a hack who ruined the DSM at this point. 

I could go on, but you will hear very few stories from the US and a ton from the UK.  The only thing you will hear from the US is lack of insurance coverage.  But taking many of the LGBT clinics are now in network and insurance carriers will cover any bill from there...even the exclusions do not hold that much weight for HRT.

So its complicated.  TS is the one area where the UK system fails quite often.

The US the issue is cost, not stalling treatment.  Treatment can be found if you look.