New UK Guidelines for Care and Treatment of Transgendered People.

[Amanda M]

A new set of guidleines for the medical and allied professions in the UK has been issued.

There is a link to them in the Useful Links (http://www.crossdressers.com/forums/showthread.php?203569-Useful-links&p=3337470#post3337470) sticky thread

Best,
Amanda

[Ariamythe]

At a glance, looks a lot like the WPATH standards, more or less. Is this a departure from what the UK standards used to be? Some UK resident may be able to shed light on the question.

[Rianna Humble]

The document itself states that it builds on WPATH and for the first time in the UK as far as I am aware sets out how care should be offered to people suffering from Gender Dysphoria - whether or not that care is related to the Gender Dysphoria.

In addition, since the current government has totally rewritten the rules on how treatment under the NHS is funded this document sets out how the care should be funded.

[Janice Ashton]

Amanda,

Thanks for this link which is greatly informative and very useful;

[Amy A]

I've skimmed it and will try and read the whole thing at some point, but I'm currently unclear what this means to me, practically. I'm on the waiting list for Leeds and only know that I'll be seen sometime next year, which is clearly a longer waiting time than is usual for clinics. This new document says:

Regardless of location, there should be a competent and effective
gender identity service that is readily accessible within the geographic region
or reasonable travelling time thereof. The waiting times for access to such
services should be in line with those for other patients and tertiary clinics
in the region.

What difference this makes to me, I just don't know. Also interesting was the following paragraph, but again I'm not sure how to proceed with this new information:

However, the GP or other medical
practitioner involved in the patient’s care may prescribe ‘bridging’ endocrine
treatments as part of a holding and harm reduction strategy while the patient
awaits specialised endocrinology or other gender identity treatment and/or
confirmation of hormone prescription elsewhere or from patient records.

[Rianna Humble]

Unfortunately, the aim of providing service within a certain time can sometimes fall down due to lack of co-operation from funders or too few specialists in an area. What the document is doing (in my opinion) is highlighting the need to address these problems.

In your position, I would take the excerpt that you have just quoted and discuss it with my GP

[Janice Ashton]

Amy
When you start visiting the GIC 'clinic' you are assigned to next year, this document will most likely make more sense to you as you will be able to relate its content and the help and support being given by your clinic and the dedicated people who will be there to help you ....

[Amy A]

It's not that it doesn't make sense, more that it reads like a wishlist for how things could and should be done, rather than things that will actually be implemented, so I'm not sure what difference, if any, this makes to me. I've every intention of doing as Rianna suggests and taking that paragraph to my doctor as I'm desperate to get onto hormones, but I'm not hopeful. I don't really feel much like my options have been explained to me fully at any point, as I've not met any health professional yet with any experience of treating GD or any knowledge of the care pathway that hasn't been gleaned from the internet, and this is a full year after first going to my GP about it. I'm frustrated, and currently recieving none of the help or assistance that this document says I should be getting.

[Nigella]

Amy, Unfortunately the system in the UK is geared around a few "central" clinics dealing with Transgenderism. The demand is quite high and as Rianna has indicated, the changes in funding arrangements do not help. If I recall, the gender clinic will not confirm a placement until they have confirmation of the funding from whoever funds your primary healthcare.

I was originally refused funding as my PCT (at the time) did not consider funding for GD as a priority, however, my GP continued to keep an eye on the matter and eventually we got the funding.

Not sure if it will help, but I went 24/7 well in advance of being seen by any "medical professional", infact I lived as a woman for 3 years before moving onto any form of gender therapy. To do this though you certainly need to be comfortable in yourself and where you belong.

[Amanda M]

You know, folks, it is never going to be easy. Not being anything more (?) than a simple crossdresser, these changes are not going to affect me directly. What I find immensely encouraging, though, is that change is still very much on the agenda. The medical establishment is by nature conservative, and rightly so, and therefore, we should vocally and politically support any changes that are beneficial to us.

Naturally, coverage throughout the UK is unequal. That is a pity, but it is, like all NHS monetary and resource judgements, dictated by resources. Not only financial resources, but skill and training resources.

Sadly, that is not ideal, but realistically, the NHS has to cut its coat according to its cloth.

If you can find fault with the changes, shout about it from the rooftops. If not, let's be as supportive of them as we can.