wait for first appoinment

[davina61]

 Got a letter for Notts GIC today 2 year wait for first appointment, HRT should be well under way by then!!!!!!

[ainsley]

2 years???  *gasp!!

For just an appointment?  For real??

[Niki Knight]

2 years? My heart plunged when I read this. Thats insane.

Why so long? Just doesn't seem right.

[KathyLauren]

From what I've heard, that's normal for the UK.

That's got to suck.  My wait times are frustrating enough, and they are nowhere near that bad.

[Daniellekai]

And I felt bad about not getting to talk really at the first therapy appointment since it was all just a family history\psych evaluation, the next one should be the real deal...

[ainsley]

It just floors me that wait times like that exist for any type of care.  Honestly.  It would be quicker to emigrate to a country with a faster system. lol  I know it is a marathon and not sprint, but 2 years is outright unreasonable to wait for any type of health care.  Period.

[JMJW]

Yep, I got the exact same letter from the exact same place. They say at least 2 years and they can't expedite appointments at all. I'm going to self refer to Trent PTS for therapy first because the last thing I want is to wait all that time and then be told to go elsewhere for therapy first. 2 years is so ridiculously long I'm thinking they expect us to do most the work ourselves beforehand.

[Shy]

I was referred two months ago and still haven't heard anything. Have an appointment with my doc. next week, maybe he can get things moving.
Whatever happens I know it will be a long wait once i'm confirmed in the system. I'm trying to stay upbeat about it all, I mean what's another few years, I can start my new life in my sixties. Being a sixties kid it has a nice ring to it.

[Shy]

Got my letter but no date, so at least i'm in the system now.
I've got plenty of things to be working on for now, so I don't mind waiting so much.
I know the health care professionals in the U.K. are under all sorts of unrealistic pressures. I'd rather wait for proper care than be rushed through a system just to reach government targets. I'll still be trans in a few years time.

[Alanna1990]

Got my letter but no date, so at least i'm in the system now.
I've got plenty of things to be working on for now, so I don't mind waiting so much.
I know the health care professionals in the U.K. are under all sorts of unrealistic pressures. I'd rather wait for proper care than be rushed through a system just to reach government targets. I'll still be trans in a few years time.

uhhhmmmm... I'm not familiar with the U.K health system, so this appointment is for receiving treatment? do you pay for it? why 2 years? that's a lot, I had to pay a private dr. because where I live HRT and SRS are completely out of the question on social security, and even that way I had to wait 4 months, but 2 years... horrible, and later they guess why so many people self-medicate, I wouldn't be able to wait, it'd drive me insane.

[Shy]

uhhhmmmm... I'm not familiar with the U.K health system, so this appointment is for receiving treatment? do you pay for it? why 2 years? that's a lot, I had to pay a private dr. because where I live HRT and SRS are completely out of the question on social security, and even that way I had to wait 4 months, but 2 years... horrible, and later they guess why so many people self-medicate, I wouldn't be able to wait, it'd drive me insane.

In the U.K. our health system is bursting at the seams. It's free for us, but we can choose to go private if we so wish.
I don't mind waiting at all. I'd rather have a service that takes time and care over something that is rushed through to hit unrealistic government targets.
I will get seen eventually. I'm grateful that I live in a country where help is freely available and trans issues are being met. Support is growing along with awareness, but it's going to take time for adequate systems to be put in place for the huge influx of new arrivals.

[JeanetteLW]

  I am guessing the health care system has a priority system in place that prioritizes services based on some sort of severity scale. Something like imminent death = weeks to gender issues = years.  Yes I'm joking, but gender issues do not appear to be considered important.  I'm saddened you all have to wait so long.

  Hugs,
    Jeanette

[davina61]

well I don't need therapy as its not an issue with me , dysphoria is there but its not depressing , I wont kill myself over it . 50 year wait anyway so whats 2 more and if I come out as planed then I will have my 2 years of female life that is needed before GRS. Still waiting to see GP for hormones