What are your experiences with NHS therapy?

[Sara91]

I'm about to contact my GP and find some stuff out (thanks to Naturally Blonde in the other thread for details) but I want to know if there is a good way to approach it, and just your general experiences with the NHS?

[Naturally Blonde]

I'm about to contact my GP and find some stuff out (thanks to Naturally Blonde in the other thread for details) but I want to know if there is a good way to approach it, and just your general experiences with the NHS?

Hi Sara, My experiences with the NHS are pretty horrendous but it was at a clinic in London and a few years ago now. My GP pushed me down the NHS route which wasn't suitable for me or the type of help, support and treatment I was looking for.  Basically the NHS didn't have a treatment program or time scale or any idea how to treat individual patients or their needs.

As mentioned in the other thread the psychiatrists I saw were fairly aggressive and intimidating in their interviewing techniques. After an 18 month of attendance at the clinic I requested HRT which they flatly refused. I then made the decision to go private and started on HRT from my first  appointment with a private consultant.   

The NHS tend to stall you as much as they can and will tell you can't get this, you can't get that and you won't get that kind of surgery from the NHS. The clinic I attended were very negative and controlling.

Although I was saw a private consultant to start on hrt  I kept kept the NHS on the back burner. The key for me in the end was to ignore the clinics dismissive attitude. If I was seeking a particular type of surgery I would get my GP to write to my PCT direct about it for possible funding. I also found my own contacts within the NHS (not related to a gender clinic) which I could then approach and ask my GP to set up an appointment with them. This way I could move on with my transition much easier and not get stalled or controlled by a gender clinic.

I Haven't any heard bad reports from Leeds, so you are in a much better position than I was going to a London NHS clinic in 2001.

[Saskia]

I guess my experience with the NHS is pretty similar to Natural Blondes.
I came out in the mid 80's and initially saw a local shrink in Bradford who I have to say was pretty good. I had a double session with her and it was great to off load all my feelings and tell my story. She listened and wrote copious notes. I then got referred to London to CHX and that was where the problems started. I was expecting a similar service to my local shrink but it was completely different. I agree with what Natural Blonde has said. it was awfully frustrating and a miserable time. They did allow me to have hormones but would never commit to a surgery date or even if I could have surgery. By the end of my NHS time I'd already lived and worked successfully as a female for more than 2 years and on my last session at CHX I had a big row with Dr Hohburger the CHX shrink and told him I was going private. He said I couldn't, I said I could and would. Within that year I had a single session with Russell Reid and was immediately referred to surgery. I saw the surgeon and had my op 2 or 3 months later with Mr Dalrymple (at that time the worlds best SRS surgeon).
Please bear in mind my experience with the NHS (CHX) was 25 years ago and it might've changed. The only thing the NHS did for me was to supply me with hormones. Everything thing else I've paid for myself. If you can afford it and you get frustrated with the NHS you can also go private and cut down on the horrible waiting time.

Coincidentally I'm a Leeds girl too (small world) but I live in the Netherlands now (in stealth)
Good luck anyway

[Jay]

My experience has been very good. However I have one of the best PCT's in the UK (Norfolk) There has been nothing I have experienced that have made me think other wise.


Jay

[El]

Havent entered therapy yet but thought i would risk an offtopic post to try and grab Jays attention, im a norfolk girl myself, got my first support group meeting in norwich soon, wondering if by any chance you will be there?

[Chrissty]

I'm about to contact my GP and find some stuff out (thanks to Naturally Blonde in the other thread for details) but I want to know if there is a good way to approach it, and just your general experiences with the NHS?

Hi Sara, some of us find therapy useful, and some of us just view it as part of the gatekeeping excercise.

If the US system requires too much therapy as part of transition, then we seem to do too little in the UK. My therapist also works in surgery, and is highly critical of how poorly prepared the NHS leaves many of the people who undergo surgery here.

I have no experience of the Leeds PCT, but I wish you luck with your journey....Just remeber that like alll dinosaurs, the NHS usually requires a little push to get it going, and coaching in how it should behave along the way. To help with this, there are a number of good resources available; ranging from suport groups to helplines and booklets.

If you haven't seen any of the publications then these may help get you started...

http://www.gires.org.uk/dohpublications.php



Chrissty

[Naturally Blonde]

.

I have no experience of the Leeds PCT, but I wish you luck with your journey....Just remeber that like all dinosaurs, the NHS usually requires a little push to get it going, and coaching in how it should behave along the way.
Chrissty

Unfortunitely they are still not extinct!