The state of health care in Nova Scotia is terrible. The good news is that we don't have to pay for it (except in taxes). The bad news is that it takes months or years to get seen.
Here, for our two surgery letters, we have to follow MSI (government insurance) rules and the Brassard clinic's rules for letters. Both agencies claim they are just following WPATH procedures, but they layer their own interpretations onto them. Two letters have to be from WPATH-trained professionals. Two letters have to be from mental health professionals. One letter has to be from a medical specialist. If you are lucky, you might be able to meet all the requirements with three letters. It might be possible for someone to do it with two letters, but finding the right people is next to impossible, and actually getting to see them is even harder.
One of the people I will be going to is a psychiatrist. That meets the mental health professional and medical specialist requirements. But the shrinks in the city have two-year waiting lists! So my HRT doc referred me to one three and a half hours away, hoping for a shorter waiting list.
After seven months, I thought I'd at least make sure I was on the list. Yes I am. Whew! No, they have no idea when I'll get an appointment. AAAAAAAAARGHHHHH!!!!
I understand that they need to triage their patients. I suppose if I was suicidal, I would get in faster (maybe an appointment in three months? ::) ), but I'm not. A trans woman wanting surgery is way down at the bottom of the triage list.
I have gone private as much as I can to skip the wait lists. But now I have to work within the system.
Don't mind me, I'm just venting. There's nothing anyone can do except throw a few million dollars at the system and recruit several hundred new doctors. There are people here who don't have a family doctor, not because they can't afford one - they are free - but because there are no doctors anywhere taking new patients. The problem is the result of chronic government under-funding.
Hi Kathy 🙋♀️ So sorry things are being hung up by bureaucrats. At least you have guaranteed healthcare whereas many do not. I am fortunate enough to have a health plan that pays for much of my needs, and there is rapid movement in that process.
Hugs Jess
A little different here. I put in a request two months ago to see a Dr that specializes in trans issues. Today I saw my family doctor and the reply is he will look at setting an appointment after I get a letter from one of a few select psychiatrist here in the city. Fortunately my therapist is in and operates under one of those listed. This was a fortunate office to pick and a great fit as my therapist is a trans woman as well. After I get the letter and an appointment the new doctor will then do all the coordinating of any other clinics I want to see. For me right now that is the voice clinic as it's my biggest give away. Fortunately being in Canada as well most of this is covered for me. I've been told this next appointment could take up to 9 months to get. I'll just have to wait and see, my family doctor is a good friend of the specialist and she is working to lower the wait time for me.
I do feel very bad for the younger FtM patients here in this city. There is a clinic for those seeking testosterone treatment and it's a three year wait as it's way underfunded. Seems it's open one day a month for half a day. In this day and age that is absolute BS.
Hi, Donna. I see from your profile that you are in Calgary. (I'm a recovering Calgarian.) I am amazed that a city that size has only one clinic for FTM folks. You are right, that's total BS. It sounds like the situation is better for MTF, though.