1st appointment

[Hazard "AJ"]

I got a letter today sayinf my 1st appointment At the gender Identity clinic  will be on 11th of january 2010 with Dr Andrew davies,  My 22 Birthday,

[Jay]

WHY on earth do you need to wait that long for!?!? Thats crazy.

Is that with Charing Cross?

Jay

[Hazard "AJ"]

Yes it is, And i thought it was very long wait i new it would be long to do this but not this long. The guy i saw before i got this letter he said i wont get a reply for a couple of mths well about 4 5 weeks after that i gt a letter asking for NSH number my GP ect, I filled that in about a week ago and got this letter, when i saw the guy the 1st time he just had a talk with me before i can refered, anyways he was talking about pundings that might be the reson why its so long im not sure, Is there anythinik i can do till then?

[kestin]

I got a letter today sayinf my 1st appointment At the gender Identity clinic  will be on 11th of january 2010 with Dr Andrew davies,  My 22 Birthday,

lol, thats my birthday too! XD I'll be turning 23 then.

[Nero]

Congrats. NHS sure takes their time, don't they?

[Michelle.]

This is why I don't want a version of a NHS in the US.

Best of luck to you Hazard.

Are there any pay as you go options available to you?

[Mister]

This is why I don't want a version of a NHS in the US.

Seriously.  That's an eight month wait.  In eight months I was on t, had top surgery and was two weeks away from a hysto.  I could not imagine waiting that long just to begin whatever process they're going to put him through to start testosterone.

[kestin]

In NZ we have free healthcare as well, much like the NHS. You can also buy health insurance which allows you to get subsidies on elective surgery's that are not yet life-threatening, depending on your plan, up to full coverage. In my experience of the 'system', its pretty damn good.

I recently saw the documentary 'SiCKO' and can honestly say, thank-god I don't live with THAT system >_>

[Hazard "AJ"]

I have no idea. I told my GP. im feb this year, and she did her very best to get me strat to charings cross but she couldnt so i had to see this guy before he could refer me, well thsi was in murch well from march to now iv ben waiting for this letter. with everythink that was going on with my mum i couldnt be able to go to appiontments then. But now things r getting on track and i got myself a parttime job it would be the best time for me to go, But now i have to wait till jan for my 1st appointment, I will rebook my appointment with my GP i will ask her then ahy its taking so long, they might have talked to my GP,

[Flameboy]

I'd also suggest phoning the Gender Clinic and asking them to put you on the list for cancellations - as long as you can get there at short notice anyway! You never know, you might get lucky!

Eight months does seem like a very long wait; when I went through the system it was a five month wait from seeing the local psych to my first appointment. I guess it's just the waiting list as it stands at the moment though; I doubt it's anything to do with funding - I don't think you'd even get an appointment if the funding wasn't in place.

I hope it flies by for you mate!