Transgender people face two and a half year wait for NHS appointment

[stephaniec]

Transgender People face two and half year wait for NHS appointment

http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2017/11/02/transgender-people-face-two-and-a-half-year-wait-for-nhs-appointments/

Pink News/by Nick Duffy   11/02/2017

[Kylo]

Yep, it's getting worse.

[Megan.]

I only had to wait 10 months for my first CX appointment,  should I feel lucky???

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[Julia1996]

That's totally awful! Those poor people.

[MaryT]

Have I got this right?

1) Wait years for your first appointment and diagnosis as transgender.

2) Then live for at least two years in your chosen gender.

3) Then go on the waiting list for SRS.

I'm starting to remember why I was looking for a less mainstream way of having my bits removed.

[Julia1996]

Have I got this right?

1) Wait years for your first appointment and diagnosis as transgender.

2) Then live for at least two years in your chosen gender.

3) Then go on the waiting list for SRS.

I'm starting to remember why I was looking for a less mainstream way of having my bits removed.

If I didn't know better I would think that whole system is designed to discourage trans people from seeking treatment rather than helping them. It's great that the healthcare system will pay for SRS but what good is it if you can't have it for like 10 years.  That's totally cruel!

[Sinead]

FML.

I haven't had my appointment with the mental health psychologist yet  . Hopefully I'll win the lottery and go private

[extraaction]

there are very good reasons that so many trans people self medicate. 

[Megan.]

Have I got this right?

1) Wait years for your first appointment and diagnosis as transgender.

2) Then live for at least two years in your chosen gender.

3) Then go on the waiting list for SRS.

I'm starting to remember why I was looking for a less mainstream way of having my bits removed.

You only get a diagnosis after a second appointment (with a separate clinician),  6 months after the first.  But you are only required to live in role for one year now before GRS referal,  although that itself can be 12-18 months wait.

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[Elis]

FML.

I haven't had my appointment with the mental health psychologist yet  . Hopefully I'll win the lottery and go private

You don't actually need to see a mental health psychologist anymore in order to be referred to a GIC. And private is an easier option than people think. A few hundred pounds later and you can get your prescription and blood tests through your GP after being approved.

[Kylo]

Have I got this right?

1) Wait years for your first appointment and diagnosis as transgender.

At this point with NHS resources stretched and more people than ever signing up for GIC services, yes.

2) Then live for at least two years in your chosen gender.

I don't know if this is actually the case here in the UK. I heard RLE was scrapped recently and you don't need it to get signed off on hormones. I just needed to wait for the bureaucracy machine to get me four appointments with a psychiatrist and two with a chief supervising doctor to confirm diagnosis of transsexualism. Which took a year in all. But nobody mentioned RLE as any sort of requirement. But this might be a regional thing.

3) Then go on the waiting list for SRS.

Yes. The NHS has to apply for funding for each person who requires surgery from a body allocating a certain amount of funds for each branch of the service. There are also a limited number of specialist surgeons to choose from who undertake trans specific surgeries so I would expect there to be a waiting list.

[Katie Jade]

You don't actually need to see a mental health psychologist anymore in order to be referred to a GIC. And private is an easier option than people think. A few hundred pounds later and you can get your prescription and blood tests through your GP after being approved.

That is where I am at - GP will support so off self med HRT, On GIC list but Ill be a woman before I get an appointment. Taking a little out of Pension and sorting myself out the best I can. Id rather be a little poorer and female than loose 2-4 more years of my life. NHS sucks for supporting us. I'm going private for the meds but hopefully my GP will get into a shared care agreement with my Private Consultant, in which case its £30 a month to them and I get a yearly prepaid prescription card for £110 a year and no prescription charges for Meds...
Need to find somewhere that does Electrolysis  on prescription...lol
HugZ Katie