Hi, I thought I should reply and haven't been very active recently.   I believe I only took approximately 7 months from GP referral to initial consultation.  My GP and myself enquired and applied for 3 clinics , and Nottingham luckily had a spot very quickly, but I believe I was lucky and referred at the right time of the year.  Also my GP was extremely supportive, he had one previous patient who he had helped from initial consult to post-op. I also chased and enquired at the individual clinics and found that my primary care trust had a service agreement in place with Nottingham, so I was able to bypass the local assessment.

I had 3 assessments, with Nottingham approximately 3 months apart, including one that had a relative (mum) invited, she could describe some of my past behaviours. I was finally accepted on the care pathway, I transitioned full time between the second and third appointment. 

Following this I have been full time for nearly 18 months. I asked for a surgical letter at 12 months for BA. I am within a couple of weeks having my final assessment for my GRS letter, for surgery later in the year.  However I have been told that if I was going NHS I would have to wait another year before they would refer me for surgical assessment, 6 months – 12 months till I actually saw a surgeon and a further year till I got the surgery.  For that reason I'm going private, hopefully with Bellringer at Parkside.

My advice is the same as Julieb1, enquire at other clinics, see if there is ways you can access a referral from your GP to the clinics without local assessment.  Ask for several referrals, I was already having my second consult with Nottingham before Leeds offered me one with them and that was still for several months in the future.  Of course as soon as Leeds offered me a place I replied ASAP to decline to prevent wasting any more time for someone else.  Medically I had started hormones prior to Nottingham, from a private clinic, and Nottingham took over control and care.  In general I have interspaced NHS care with private care to speed things along when I could, if you can do this I recommend it.

Quote from: RachelH on May 19, 2014, 04:32:17 PM
Hi, I thought I should reply and haven't been very active recently.   I believe I only took approximately 7 months from GP referral to initial consultation.  My GP and myself enquired and applied for 3 clinics , and Nottingham luckily had a spot very quickly, but I believe I was lucky and referred at the right time of the year.  Also my GP was extremely supportive, he had one previous patient who he had helped from initial consult to post-op. I also chased and enquired at the individual clinics and found that my primary care trust had a service agreement in place with Nottingham, so I was able to bypass the local assessment.

I had 3 assessments, with Nottingham approximately 3 months apart, including one that had a relative (mum) invited, she could describe some of my past behaviours. I was finally accepted on the care pathway, I transitioned full time between the second and third appointment. 

Following this I have been full time for nearly 18 months. I asked for a surgical letter at 12 months for BA. I am within a couple of weeks having my final assessment for my GRS letter, for surgery later in the year.  However I have been told that if I was going NHS I would have to wait another year before they would refer me for surgical assessment, 6 months – 12 months till I actually saw a surgeon and a further year till I got the surgery.  For that reason I'm going private, hopefully with Bellringer at Parkside.

My advice is the same as Julieb1, enquire at other clinics, see if there is ways you can access a referral from your GP to the clinics without local assessment.  Ask for several referrals, I was already having my second consult with Nottingham before Leeds offered me one with them and that was still for several months in the future.  Of course as soon as Leeds offered me a place I replied ASAP to decline to prevent wasting any more time for someone else.  Medically I had started hormones prior to Nottingham, from a private clinic, and Nottingham took over control and care.  In general I have interspaced NHS care with private care to speed things along when I could, if you can do this I recommend it.

Thank you for the advice, since your answers I have now gotten in Nottingham's waiting list as Leeds said it would be yet another year and a half for me to be seen on top of the 6 months I had already waited for, did you receive some kind of acknowledgement letter from Nottingham GIC Once you were referred? I haven't received any yet?

I would like to share a link, it is an e-petition to solve the increasing waiting list for GRS surgery in the UK,  if anyone would like to sign it and sign up for updates on it please go to:

http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/67535

It's a safe, government site so your signature can only help. It is for UK residents only.

i was referred to a local mental health clinic 3 month after to see wether i was suitable to be referred to charring cross. the referal to charring cross went through 3 days after my local mental health screening that was october the 14th 2013 and i am still waiting just to get a letter with my appointment date on my gp surgery are trying to chase it up but they have real problems just getting sombody to pick the fone up at charing cross i do have the opportunity to see a private psychotherapist with experience in gender issues but i feel i must be getting through the waiting list by this time and i pay money into the nhs so why should pay. what does every one else think? and it would make money really tight.

sorry for the slight thread hijacking 

i suppose this is made worse by me stipulating a female doctor so this would mean a i would be one of tina rashid's patients?

Quote from: calicarly on July 20, 2014, 04:16:54 PM
Thank you for the advice, since your answers I have now gotten in Nottingham's waiting list as Leeds said it would be yet another year and a half for me to be seen on top of the 6 months I had already waited for, did you receive some kind of acknowledgement letter from Nottingham GIC Once you were referred? I haven't received any yet?

Yes once I was referred I received a letter with my first assessment time, and what to expect.  Following the successful assessment period they will write a letter to your GP confirming that you have gender dysphoria, and asking your GP to conduct blood, hormone and liver tests.  On confirmation that they are ok the HRT can finally begin, and then start to smile, as you are truly on your way

Sorry to hijack the thread, I just wanted to know if facial hair removal funding can be obtained through GP? My gender therapist didn't want to request funding for nearly anything I asked for, saying I have to be six months with them before they can do it, he said it's the procedures. Is it true though? Moreover, can you ask for pubic hair removal if you aren't planning to having SRS with the NHS? Thank you, x

Your doctor can get your your laser treatment but it's the same as try to get your hrt for the nhs to find it you have to wait for your psychotherapist to agree you are suitable for treatment.
If you are desperate for hair removal have you thought about funding it your self Iv fount prices from clinics in Cambridge that start at about £30 per session

Thanks for the info, I'll look into that

Quote from: crowcrow223 on July 21, 2014, 05:35:09 AM
Thanks for the info, I'll look into that

Wow Iv actually given somebody some useful advice that doesn't happen often on here it's normally the other way round

Quote from: Samantha007 on July 21, 2014, 05:44:02 AM
I heard the new surgeon at CX is really good, though she doesn't have that much experience as she has just finished her training on srs.

hugs,

Samantha x

She also looks like somebody I could really feel constable around if you know what I mean

You are allowed 8 sessions of hair removal on the NHS. As my doctor told me last month, then adding that he thought it was a little to late for me! 

Quote from: Elanore joey on July 21, 2014, 05:46:09 AM
Wow Iv actually given somebody some useful advice that doesn't happen often on here it's normally the other way round

The further you transition the more useful experiences you will have to share. Also the turnaround for people on this site is a couple of years, and then the next generation then takes over answering pretty much the same questions as we asked previously. Useless fact but there you are lol!

Quote from: Samantha007 on July 21, 2014, 05:57:56 AM
Sorry to say this , but although Bellringer was good at what he did, he was the biggest f***ing arrogant c*nt  you could come across. My goodness! Hopefully the new surgeon will be more approachable as SRS patients do need someone like that!

hugs,

Samantha xx

I quite liked him, ah well! lol

Quote from: Elanore joey on July 21, 2014, 05:46:09 AM
Wow Iv actually given somebody some useful advice that doesn't happen often on here it's normally the other way round

of course you're really helpful! thanks <3

Quote from: RachelH on July 21, 2014, 05:56:15 AM
You are allowed 8 sessions of hair removal on the NHS. As my doctor told me last month, then adding that he thought it was a little to late for me! 

What did he mean though?

Quote from: crowcrow223 on July 21, 2014, 06:43:32 AM
What did he mean though?

I already have had all my facial hair removed, so too late to use the service!

i feels like it going to take the rest of my life just to get my first appointment.

everyday is mentally exhausting
i thought doctors took a oath and th efirst part of that oath is first do not harm by doing nothing it feels they are doing harm to my mental health and my antidepressant dont feel like they are doing anything any more.

Is there any way to speed things up when it comes to requesting certain services that require NHS funding? thanks, x

Quote from: crowcrow223 on July 22, 2014, 12:22:50 PM
Is there any way to speed things up when it comes to requesting certain services that require NHS funding? thanks, x

i wish there was

Quote from: Elanore joey on July 21, 2014, 02:38:00 PM
everyday is mentally exhausting
i thought doctors took a oath and th efirst part of that oath is first do not harm by doing nothing it feels they are doing harm to my mental health and my antidepressant dont feel like they are doing anything any more.

I wrote a huge response to quite a few of the posts earlier and somehow it vanished!

Anyway, i agree that everyday in waiting is mentally exhausting but I first transitioned and started full time 5 + years ago, except I couldn't access NHS care at all for a while due to the fact that I was born outside the UK and my residency took time to come through , it eventually did in the middle of last year, and then I was able to go see a GP, the GP I have is a wonderful Dr and very supportive, I am in bridging HRT, since last year the guidelines changed and Doctors are allowed to put patients on what they call bridging HRT to keep you going until such time u are taken over by the GIC you have been referred to, and to stop a lot of people from self medicating without monitoring, however! This new bridging system is only abailable IF, your Doctor is extremely supportive and particularly for those who are already on RLE or have been for a while, like said, here I am transitioned 5 years on, big ole boobs, not expecting any more changes from HRT as that has been maxed out (I am very happy with the results) and yet no GRS in sight, daunting thought right? But I am sharing all this info about myself ladies just so you have some hope, I am now hopeful thanks to my GP, I can only wait. But it definitely is a painful wait, I am so anxious to feel and be finally complete, but I know it will come and I am grateful that It will. So don't lose hope darlings.

Quote from: crowcrow223 on July 22, 2014, 12:22:50 PM
Is there any way to speed things up when it comes to requesting certain services that require NHS funding? thanks, x

I don't think so crow crow, apart from the bridging HRT I would imagine you have to be assessed by the GIC team for any other treatment.. But I could be wrong, and enquiring with your GP is simply the best way to find out! Always ask! You don't lose anything, the worst that will happen is you get told no and have to wait till the GIC gives you the go.

I saw my doctor yday and he definitely referred me to Nottingham GIC, so I am hoping to hear from them soon, as things are now I would be seen by them still in half the time than Leeds would, even after the 8 months or so I've waited on their list, my GP also has changed my HRT to a more effective approach which includes a combination of patches and oral. Which I am looking forward to see if this is a better way of delivery.

I've also heard all good things about the new surgeon at CHX, I also heard that there was another recently trained surgeon who was gonna be working part time for CHX to tackle NHS backlogs and get it all up to date and then he would move on to private practice (all this is info I read somewhere so I can't verify or say that it is true) on the meantime please make sure you ladies sign the e-petition I shared earlier on the thread, even if you aren't at the point where you're being referred for surgery or you are past it, please let's do it for our sisters who are anxiously waiting with their referral letters in hand. For one day we will be in their place or we have been in their place.

Carly x

Thank You for the response. if I sign the petition, will my name be displayed in any way? x