*TRIGGER WARNING* Is it the NHS's mission to...

[Olivia P]

Is it the NHS's mission to drive as many people to suicide as possible?

I honestly wonder because at every single step there is nothing but more and more roadblocks causing endless delays and uncertain periods of waiting without hearing anything.

I mean you go to your GP, you pour your heart out to them about how your suffering, and you wait 6 months - a year BEFORE YOU GET ANY RESPONSE!

And even then thats the first waiting period of many.

Even if you go privately in the meantime you go to your GP to request shared care and on a uninformed position where he hasnt asked you any real questions at all, decides that he "isnt comfortable prescribing such a high dose" then quotes the private prescription get out clause. Dont they realise how much pain and suffering we go through?

So now i either have to find £263 every 3 months plus £200 every 3 months to cover assessment for the next 3-6+ months untill the NHS gender clinic decides i exist, or somehow find a way to survive 3-6+ months while still on T having it endlessly damage my body more and more.

You havent heard the best bit yet either, on this exact same week my employer decided to terminate my contract breaking employment protection rights by not following the propper legal procedure, terminating with no written warnings of any kind, is it incompetence? is it discrimination? Who knows...

The way they treat people who more often than not have decided that its transition or do something stupid is upsetting and infuriating. There is no care present in this practice at all.

I honestly have no idea how im going to survive this next 3-6 months if my GP is going to firmly stick to that decision.

All i know is that there is no care present in the health care system at all, and it seems people are doing everything they can to try and break me as much as they can so i have no strength to keep fighting left.

[Beverly]

I mean you go to your GP, you pour your heart out to them about how your suffering, and you wait 6 months - a year BEFORE YOU GET ANY RESPONSE!

You should have got a response there and then. Certainly within a few days. Did you follow up or did you just wait 6 months? GPs are human beings like everyone else and some of them are good, some of them are bad and some of them are lazy.

If you had a bad response from your GP than see a different one or speak to the practice manager. The NHS may be free at the point of use but they will not chase after you, you need to prod them to get them to do things and it will be like that the rest of the way through your transition.

I often think of it like this - my transition is too important to leave it up to doctors and admin staff.

Do everything in writing, keep copies and keep a transition file. If you do not get treated properly then speak to the next person up the food chain. Be polite but firm and it is amazing how quickly things will turn around.

Dont they realise how much pain and suffering we go through?

Almost everybody who sits in front of them has pain and suffering, healthy people rarely go to the doctor. So they grow a thick skin and that clinical distance kicks in. So yes, they ARE somewhat immune to their patients' worries. Nonetheless they are not immune to their practice manager. Write a polite letter of complaint and hand it in. Request an appointment with the practice manager.

So now i either have to find £263 every 3 months plus £200 every 3 months to cover assessment for the next 3-6+ months untill the NHS gender clinic decides i exist, or somehow find a way to survive 3-6+ months while still on T having it endlessly damage my body more and more.

T will not make much difference unless you are about 15. Once you are over 20 the worst of the damage is done so stop worrying about it.

You havent heard the best bit yet either, on this exact same week my employer decided to terminate my agreement breaking employment protection rights by not following the propper legal procedure, terminating with no written warnings of any kind, is it incompetence? is it discrimination? Who knows...

Well then, you may have grounds for an industrial tribunal. Go see a lawyer.

The way they treat people who more often than not have decided that its transition or do something stupid is upsetting and infuriating. There is no care present in this practice at all.

Then report the practice to the GMC and transfer to a different one.

All i know is that there is no care present in the health care system at all, and it seems people are doing everything they can to try and break me as much as they can so i have no strength to keep fighting left.

No. That is not how it is. I can see why you might feel that way today but to start thinking that way leads to paranoia. They are not out to get you.

[Olivia P]

its 6 months - a year before you get any response from the gender clinic

You should have got a response there and then. Certainly within a few days. Did you follow up or did you just wait 6 months? GPs are human beings like everyone else and some of them are good, some of them are bad and some of them are lazy.

its 6 months - a year before you get any response from the gender clinic

T will not make much difference unless you are about 15. Once you are over 20 the worst of the damage is done so stop worrying about it.

Tell that to people who have transitioned at 30, 40, 50, 60...

Then report the practice to the GMC and transfer to a different one.

By this section i mean the NHS as a whole, not any specific doctors surgery.

[Beverly]

its 6 months - a year before you get any response from the gender clinic

When I read your post I thought it said 6 months to get a response from your GP. "I mean you go to your GP, you pour your heart out to them about how your suffering, and you wait 6 months - a year BEFORE YOU GET ANY RESPONSE!"

Tell that to people who have transitioned at 30, 40, 50, 60...

I transitioned at 47. The "T Damage" was done 20 years ago.

By this section i mean the NHS as a whole, not any specific doctors surgery.

OK, that is not how it came across. Having been through the system (I am awaiting surgery) I have to disagree with your assessment of it. Most of the staff I have come across have been helpful, but transition is a slow process. It would be nice if the waiting times were less than they are which is why some people go private. Three of my friends did and then got the GPs to take over the prescriptions once they had a private diagnosis. They then sat there and let the hormones get on with it.

[Olivia P]

Well yes, the GP cant do anything other than write a referral letter, the response comes from the gender clinic.

And unfortunately for me it seems my GP doesnt care about private diagnosis, and supposedly has the right to say "private prescription, youll have to pay for it privately" so seems like im powerless, well untill the same people tell him the exact same thing but the next time through the nhs (the consultants ive seen privately work full time in the charring cross gender clinic that i will eventually go to)

[Beverly]

Well yes, the GP cant do anything other than write a referral letter, the response comes from the gender clinic.

True.

And unfortunately for me it seems my GP doesnt care about private diagnosis, and supposedly has the right to say "private prescription, youll have to pay for it privately" so seems like im powerless,

No, you are not powerless. Never start thinking that way. Start viewing the NHS as a toolbox full of tools you need but YOU are the architect of YOUR transition. Do not expect them to do anything unless you prod them.

Put things in writing and learn about Practice Managers, local Commissioning Groups, PALS services, the GMC and the health service Ombudsman. You can have a lot of influence, but the best influence is polite persistence. Just keep at them.

(the consultants ive seen privately work full time in the charring cross gender clinic that i will eventually go to)

Ahh.... Dr Lorimer. Nice bloke. He gave me my confirming diagnosis at Charing.

[Olivia P]

Indeed i like Dr Lorimer, good guy.

At the moment im waiting for the letter from Dr seal to come through then ill prod them again

[Beverly]

At the moment im waiting for the letter from Dr seal to come through then ill prod them again

I will prod him for you. I see him in two weeks

;-)

[Olivia P]

Dr Seal?

He isnt the one thats the problem, theres a wait for the letter as his private secretary is on holiday.

The one that needs prodding is my GP

[Olivia P]

My blood pressure is just fine, why is my blood pressure relevent?

[Beverly]

My blood pressure is just fine, why is my blood pressure relevent?

Spiro is a blood pressure medicine...

[Jayne]

Hiya, If time delays are causing you stress then I strongly suggest you ask your GP to help you transfer to another GIC (I've heard nothing but praise for the Laurels).
Too many people have been refered to London over the last year & several staff members have moved on so they are swamped, this is having a knock on effect for some/many patients.

I've been with CHX for 3 years now & i've only been on HRT for 8 months, the last time I went for an appointment I traveled for hours to be told the nurse had left & wouldn't be replaced for months. I was told they should be able to send a replacement appointment in May, i've chased but still don't have one yet!!

I'm sorry to hear about you losing your job but as they didn't follow procedures i'd seek legal advice if I was you.

Best wishes

[Olivia P]

Yep i have, visited the CAB today and plan on following their advice