Easiest route for transition in the uk?

[cass]

Hi, i live in the uk and am trying to find out what the easiest route of transition is either nhs or private in terms of waiting times, hoops to jump through, levels of stress, level of care etc, do we have informed consent in the uk? can anyone suggest any transgender friendly gp's in cornwall, devon, somerset of dorset?

[Jessica Merriman]

A big warm welcome to Susan's Cass! From what us Americans hear it will be a nightmare either way. One of the UK members should be on soon to explain it in detail. Good luck with your journey. 

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[TerriT]

Move.

[Elizabeth1]

On the assumption you wish to seek assistance through the nhs you should firstly contact your local gp. Gp will probably make a referral to local psychiatric service for an assessment. It could take Up to  6 months for first session. Psychiatrist can then make a referral to specialist gender identity clinic should you be thought as having gender dysphoria. This process can take many months. At gender clinic you will probably have 2 assessment probably within a 4 month period before any decision is made regarding prescribing of hormones. You could contact gender clinic directly but from experience they prefer direct referral from your psychiatrist. It is all about being patient.  Coming from Scotland I'm unfamiliar with the gender clinic and psychiatric services  in your area. Your gp will probably contact your nearest mental health team who may contact charing cross gender clinic. You of course could go private for an assessment. Wishing you the best of luck!

[alena]

I went the private route. I started therapy at the beginning of February and just received my perscription for hormones - so its taken about five months. I may have been able to get things done quicker but I had to make sure what I was doing was right. The plus side of going private is the speed that things can happen, while the downside is the cost. I found the cost of hormones when going private is roughly double that of an NHS perscription for e alone. Thanks x

[cass]

TiffanyT

Since i came out to my family on the whole they took it well and have been supportive (more so my mum, dad is struggling), my family's support is important to me as i go through this so moving is not something i want to do,

elizabeth1 whichever route gives me the best care, shortest waiting times and least hoops to jump through, i should probably mention that i have already tried hormones and do not want to go back, for me now its about going forward safely

[cass]

I went the private route. I started therapy at the beginning of February and just received my perscription for hormones - so its taken about five months. I may have been able to get things done quicker but I had to make sure what I was doing was right. The plus side of going private is the speed that things can happen, while the downside is the cost. I found the cost of hormones when going private is roughly double that of an NHS perscription for e alone. Thanks x

Alena do you mind if i ask which clinic you are using? does a list of uk clinics exist? as that would be handy, google seems to turn up too much irrelivent rubbish when i search, would you also mind (assuming its not against the rules) giving me an idea of what your meds cost privately? if nothing else to compare to what i have been paying, thanks

[alena]

I went to Transhealth who are really nice and professional, the other private clinic that I know of is Gender Care, both are based in London. I just did a google and found these two that were fairly close to me, so I'm not aware of any others outside of London. I think the current NHS prescription cost is about £8 so going private is double that each month for me, so its not that expensive. I was just prescribed estrogen so if other meds are required I'm not sure how much extra that will be. You'll have to do blood tests every three months if you go private and having a transgender friendly gp will help as I think you can get that done on the NHS 

[Olivia P]

Hi, i live in the uk and am trying to find out what the easiest route of transition is either nhs or private in terms of waiting times, hoops to jump through, levels of stress, level of care etc, do we have informed consent in the uk? can anyone suggest any transgender friendly gp's in cornwall, devon, somerset of dorset?

Get your gp to send the referral to your local gender clinic, then use a private clinic to get treatment while you wait for the nhs waiting times. The private clinics use shared care, so your gp arranges nhs coverage for blood tests and medication, all you pay for is the assessment.

make yourself familiar with the current protocol for gender patients before seeing your gp as sometimes you need to educate them on what to do:

http://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/int-gend-proto.pdf

Note, the requirement to see a local mental health specilist before visiting a gender clinic has been removed from the latest edition of the nhs england protocol.

[cass]

Thanks alena and olivia, i wasnt exactly inspired by my local gender clinic when i contacted them, they came across as poorly funded and rely on volunteer therapists, my current thinking is to see if my local pct will fund treatment through transhealth, if not then paying myself isnt the end of the world, i would go private for any surgery anyway it was just trying to keep costs down on the bits that dont matter as much (as long as i get the correct treatment that is)

[Olivia P]

Thanks alena and olivia, i wasnt exactly inspired by my local gender clinic when i contacted them, they came across as poorly funded and rely on volunteer therapists, my current thinking is to see if my local pct will fund treatment through transhealth, if not then paying myself isnt the end of the world, i would go private for any surgery anyway it was just trying to keep costs down on the bits that dont matter as much (as long as i get the correct treatment that is)

Yes at the moment it is indeed fact that the nhs is underfunded, gender services more so than others in part due to the lack of widespread understanding. Although once you get on HRT, all that you need the gender clinic for then is the check ups to make sure your all fine, which is partly why im going the route of private until the nhs takes me on. There is of course the later thing of operations and such, but since thats referral based you remain in control.

I went with a private service that is run by the same consultants that work at the charring cross clinic during the week on the nhs, and they seem professional enough. Im getting the impression its mostly the lack of an appropriate budget more than anything else that is causing the issues.

Im using the service gendercare.co.uk if you want to check out other options, also london based. I know gender care try to prescribe the medication through your GP by arranging shared care so that the nhs covers medication cost. I dont know how transhealth goes about the medication though.

[kira21 ♡♡♡]

You need to go to the GP and start off the GIC route. In the UK GICs now prefer direct referral, which is good as it cuts a lengthy portion of the start, but it is slow. Very slow.

IF speed is your aim, go private with transhealth, but still do the GIC route at the same time, then you can hop over when they pick you up at the GIC.

[alena]

Transhealth also have the option of prescribing via a GP. I received my note the other day to take to my GP along with bloodwork details to see if they are willing to prescribe on the NHS in three month doses 

[kira21 ♡♡♡]

Yes but you are unlikely to get anything but spiro or cyproterone from the GP for an antiandrogen and really goserelin or buserelin are better and you can get that through the GIC not to mention surgeries and electrolysis, so ultimately GIC is where its at, but private (preferably, like you say, through the GP so you don't have to pay) for while you are waiting.

[cass]

Will see if i can make an appointment with my gp for early next week, no idea what they are like as my previous gp retired and i since i havent visited my gp in about 14 years i havent met the replacement, i dont tend to go unless i really need to, things like blood pressure etc i keep an eye on myself

As i mentioned i have been self medicating (spiro and estrofem), i still have enough "supplies" for about 9 months so im not doing this for a prescription im doing this to get myself monitored really, just a shame i have to jump through hoops really, does anyone know whether a gic will want me to come off the meds before i see them?

[cass]

I have seen my gp who is happy to refer me to the nearest nhs gender clinic, not sure how long the waiting list is but i will contact the gic myself to find out, in the meantime my gp has also agreed to some blood tests so i will at least be able to keep a better eye on what im currently doing until the nhs take me on

[eggy_nog]

If you can afford private, then do that. This is what I did:

Saw GP, got referral for private psychiatrist, got letter saying I have gender dysphoria and that I should be referred to charing cross, got an NHS referral through GP using private psych letter to charing cross, then I was put on a waiting list which is almost over (about 14 months).

In meantime I saw dr curtis privately and have started hrt for 4 months. When I go to charing cross, I'll stop going to Dr Curtis, but can always return if my experience with the nhs is bad

[cass]

I have spoken now to my local gic who have told me i would be looking at approx 3 months if referred now, since the gp now refers direct to the gic i hope this is the case as 3 months isnt too bad

[judithlynn]

Hi Cass;
I am from Devon (and I have a cottage there) but I also partly live in Australia. My local GP in Devon was reasonably TS Friendly but I haven't seen her for about 18 months. However I have three beauty therapists/electrolysis that I use (1 in Sidmouth, 1 in Exeter and 2 in Honiton. Padma (recently had her SRS in Brighton) is from near Exeter and I am sure can offer some contacts.

I also have a very good TS friend (fully transitioned) who lives in Dorset  If you are in Dorset I could you put you in touch with her as I think she has some excellent contacts. For instance, she recently had a Breast Augmentation (she looks fantastic)  and she has recommended the surgeon who is based in Wilts.
Let me know where you live and if I can help
JudithLynn

[billiejane]

im from devon too, actually live in one of the towns you mentioned!, i have yet to start anything and am still unsure of what i want anyway, i went to my doctor to hopefully get a therapist or something to help me understand myself better i guess. i went to my GP and they reffered me to the laurels in exeter, although to be honest i kinda feel like a fraud for mentioning any of it, as i am not 100% sure.

from what i hear they wont be that useful to me anyway as someone mentioned that they get like three appointments a year, and if you are not 100% sure from the get go then it delays you massively.