Questions about getting started

[JaimeJJ]

I went to my GP about 8 weeks ago and told him about my issues. That I think I am transgendered and I wanted help in getting "started", as I didn't know much about where to start with the whole transitioning thing.

He didn't know much about the subject, so told me to visit my local sexual health clinic that offers counselling. I attended the clinic and spoke to another doctor there, who again - didn't know what to say or/do. She said they offer therapy there and would send me a referral out in the post. This was about 6 weeks ago, and only just this week I received a letter which reads...

"The clinic that we run here is strictly speaking for sexual problems. However, we could certainly ask you to opt in to the service and give you a general counselling appointment to discuss any issues that you have and the potential ways forward for you. Unfortunately our waiting list is currently about 6 months from when we recieve your opt in reply, I will also need a referral letter from your GP and I am sending them a copy of this letter to him. Although we may be able to offer you some general counselling and advice here, it will be your GP that will be involved in any future referrals should you decide to explore things futher."

Then a slip for psychosexual counselling is on another page, with a waiting list of 6 months.

I am in the Liverpool area, somewhere that I thought would have lots of specialists that can help, and not to just be passed round from one clueless person to the next. Is this "counselling" or whatever they are offering what I need to get the ball rolling? I am already seeing a therapist that I pay for privately, although she isn't specialised in gender identity, she is helping me with the surrounding issues.

What I want to know is - is this service that I have been offered the one that I want? Is it normal to wait 6 months just to get an appointment with a counsellor? If so, what will happen after this appointment?

I have been looking in to the private way, which does seem a little more appealing and I am prepared to pay for the inital services, but I know that the final op etc does cost a lot of money, which I would rather get on the NHS!

Any tips or advice or your own expieriences would be useful! Thanks!

[Debra]

If you ask me, it sounds like they are NOT the clinic for you....seems to me they're specializing in some sort of sexual deviancy resolution or something?

What you want is a psychologist or psychotherapist that specializes in Gender Identity Disorder or Transsexuality.

Gender identity is usually classified as something totally different. Sorry I can't help you as I don't know much about the Liverpool area but just thought I'd say that much.

[Hannah]

I went through the same thing with the public health services around here; I got shuffled around while everyone just scratched their heads. If you can afford to pay for therapy I would definitely recommend doing so. IMO 6 months would feel like an eternity, and the last thing I would want is to wait 6 months just to be referred to someone else, then have to wait even longer.

[JaimeJJ]

I went through the same thing with the public health services around here; I got shuffled around while everyone just scratched their heads. If you can afford to pay for therapy I would definitely recommend doing so. IMO 6 months would feel like an eternity, and the last thing I would want is to wait 6 months just to be referred to someone else, then have to wait even longer.

But if I did this and went to see Dr Curtis - would I be able to transfer on to the NHS system for my op etc?

[Sarah B]

Hi Jennifer90

I would presume you are referring to Dr Richard Curtis, from the Transhealth organization?  He has been mentioned to me, who is someone that I can contact in regards to a problem that I'm currently trying to resolve.

He would be one who would be able to answer your question, if you would be able to have the surgery on the NHS, but had your counselling outside of the NHS.

There are other members of Susan's who will be along soon who will be able to answer your question in more depth than I can.

Kind regards
Sarah B

[spacial]

jennifer

I would strongly advise you to get as much good quality information about transgender and take it with you.

These people will continue to humour you unless you can present them with the evidence.

In addition, you should also try to find some transgender organisations in the UK preferrably in your area.

Contact some of these people. I can't personally recommend any of them, sadly. But you can filter through.

http://www.beaumontsociety.org.uk/

http://theangels.co.uk/

http://www.transgenderzone.com/

There will be more, but you need to search for those that have information appropriate to your problems and needs.

Remember, you need to present a case. There is little to be gained from being passive. By the sound of it, you are being humoured.

[shoegazer]

Unfortunately it sounds like the place that your GP has referred you to is not appropriate. Since they may not have had trans patients before you may have to point them in the right direction yourself.

Each area in the country has an NHS Primary Care Trust (or PCT) that organises services for the people in that particular part of the country. The process of transitioning itself through the NHS is handled by a number of regional clinics called Gender Identity Clinics (or GICs).

The PCT for the area that you live in will normally send people to one specific clinic. You need to get your GP to find out which GIC the PCT sends people to and exactly how the referral needs to be made. Some GICs (such as Charring Cross in London) require the referral to be made by a psychiatrist. If that's the case, your GP needs to refer you to a local psychiatrist (who is often not a specialist in gender issues) who will then make the referral. If your GP attempted to refer you directly the referral would be rejected (and it would probably cost you a few months extra waiting for your GP to do it properly). Other GICs allow the GP to make the referral directly.

As you said, there's also the private option. As far as I am aware private counseling should not prevent you from accessing NHS care later. I have heard mixed reports about attempting to get hormones and so on privately and then use the NHS for surgery - some people seem to have been able to get the NHS to 'take over' their care and some have not. Going privately would get you started much faster though, as there can be very long waiting lists with the NHS (8 months or more) 

It's a bit of a maze, but you'll find your way through in the end! 

[JaimeJJ]

Thanks for your replies.

As for the option of going private, I have not started my physical transformation yet.  So if I went to see Dr Curtis, would he be able to help me at the moment or does he prefer to see people more "further on" in their transition? I want to be on hormones before I start to transition!

[Sarah B]

I believe Dr Curtis would see you whether you have started transition, on hormones, or not.  Whatever you want, if he is someone who cares about people being happy, he should help you achieve what you truly want in life.

When I started over 21 years ago.  I was lucky to get my hormones from my GP straight away and I started working full time.  I was lucky and very fortunate.  Today it would more than likely be different on how things would turn out as the doctors seem to be following the standards of care (SOC) more so today than before.  Go to his website and in particular the FAQ.

If you go to a counsellor, be confident in what you want also, know, understand and the solution to your problem.

Take care and best wishes.

Kind regards
Sarah B