Hey all

I've had a bit of a rotten time with Charring Cross in London. I've yet to get my first appointment. It's been a heck of a long time coming, first because they sent forms to my old university address, and then because I had to bug my GP to send through my psychiatric certificate (even though they should have done that months ago, and by delaying it I got kicked off CX's patient list due to "inactivity"). It seems things are in order now, but I'll still be waiting six months + for a meeting. The fact is, I can't do that, since I'll be moving to Sweden in January. I'm an academic, and I have to put my foot where the money is (and those places are very, very, very limited!)

What is it like for transwomen in Sweden? Can you somehow transfer UK NHS treatment overseas?

I think it should be possible to work things out, since it's within the EU. This year they changed the legislation for trans care in Sweden, so at least you don't need to be a Swedish citizen to get care. How far along in the process are you?

I have heard quite skeptical and mixed reviews about transgender care in Nordic countries - like it is pretty much the same as British NHS, except their views and standards on genders are from the previous century.

Quote from: ♡ Emily ♡ on November 03, 2013, 04:57:01 PM
their views and standards on genders are from the previous century.

This is certainly not something I've ever come across.

Quote from: Incarlina on November 03, 2013, 05:04:09 PM
This is certainly not something I've ever come across.

Well, it is great to hear then! The story I was told by someone who is still struggling took place in Norway.

Thanks for the replies!

I've yet to actually be seen in the Gender Clinic. I'm still waiting for my first appointment. I just wonder if I can somehow use that to reduce my waiting time in Sweden, or if I'm going to have to wait another 6 months on top of the 4 I've waited here since sending the forms back (though it might be 0 after all the chaos they created :/ ).

Yea my GP messed up too sending stuff to Charring Cross. It took me a year to get my first appointment. So I doubt you will have much luck with that.

You might want to consider going private. I gave up on Charring Cross since they refuse to to even give you hormones unless you have your name legally changed and I was not prepared to go to such a step without even seeing if hormones work for me.

Anyway, long story short I went to a private doctor instead and it took 3 months to get on hormones. If you bust a move and have the cash for it you may be able to manage a prescription before you leave. With some luck at least.

Quote from: Windy1234 on November 04, 2013, 06:33:11 AM
I've yet to actually be seen in the Gender Clinic. I'm still waiting for my first appointment. [...] or if I'm going to have to wait another 6 months on top of the 4 I've waited here since sending the forms back

I think that if you get an appointment at the gender clinic before you leave, they can arrange a transfer to whichever the nearest gender team will be in Sweden. In theory you're guaranteed an appointment within 30 days, but it might take longer in some cities. In Stockholm I waited 3 weeks for my first appointment.
If the gender clinic can't arrange a transfer, or if you won't have time to go there before you move, you'll first need to go through a Swedish psychiatrist, which adds another 30 days to the process.

Quote from: ♡ Emily ♡ on November 03, 2013, 05:33:21 PM
Well, it is great to hear then! The story I was told by someone who is still struggling took place in Norway.

Some of the nordic countrys are pretty bad, like Norway, for exemple.
Sweden is as far I know the best of the nordic country to be transgender in. I think it abit simular to UK but im not 100% sure cause I haven't been thought the system in Neither countrys.
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theres a swedish site with a good amount of informations if you dont understand swedish you can use translation, it has some basic information how you change names, and everything.
http://www.transformering.se/f%C3%B6r%C3%A4ndra_din_kropp/k%C3%B6nsutredning

normally it would take some years if you are to get dignose, and permission to homones and surgery and all this stuff, but I dont know if you can get special threatment when you already been through some of the system in UK? how long your threatment will take also depends on diffrent factors.

QuoteI have heard quite skeptical and mixed reviews about transgender care in Nordic countries - like it is pretty much the same as British NHS, except their views and standards on genders are from the previous century.

Some of those claims might be true to some extent, but here in Finland everything is sponsored and paid for by the state (from the psychological evaluation part all the way to hormone therapy and sex reassignment surgery), and the people who engage in this field of work usually have all the appropriate credentials to be part of the transgender care team, and definitely harbor no prejudice or the like toward transgendered people.

I don't know about other Nordic countries like Norway or Sweden, but I hear the latter is a stable place to start.