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- Can I be referred to the clinic if I don’t live in Devon?
- What service is provided?
- How confidential is the service?
- Will you respect my point of view?
- What should I expect at the assessment?
- Tell me more about living in a social role that matches my gender identity
- Will I be offered hormone therapy?
- Do I have to have surgery?
- For people using our service
Transition involves a profound change in your life; this may seem daunting but we are here to help. There are a range of challenges to be addressed during your transition, so we’ve prepared a checklist to help you prepare.
This list is not exhaustive. Transition involves much, much more than the obvious medical interventions of hormone therapy and surgery. You will also need to consider its social and legal implications, from formally changing your name through to dealing with the emotional aspects of informing family and friends.
Helpful hints for transition
- You will be provided with a great deal of new information about gender identity issues by the clinic. We recommend that you keep this and all correspondence relating to your treatment in a file, to support your Gender Recognition Certificate application in the future, should this be required.
- Living life in your new social role may be very different to your current life and you are likely to have many new experiences; be ready for change and for some challenging situations. Ask your Named Professional for help if you feel overwhelmed by everything; difficult challenges can be overcome with help.
- Medication and hormone treatment may be offered. We strongly discourage self-medication with irregularly sourced drug treatments. Internet-sourced hormone therapies can be dangerous and are sometimes contaminated. Their use is likely to affect blood test results and, if our medical team are unaware of your self-medication, they may inadvertently offer inappropriate advice or recommend unnecessary investigation. Please, be honest with us.
- Gender reassignment surgery (GRS) cannot be provided until you have lived in a social role appropriate to your gender identity for at least twelve months.
- At some point, you will want to tell other people about your transition. We can advise you on how to carefully and sensitively inform all those who need to know about your transition, from family members to employers. Employers have legal responsibilities to protect you and Unite have written a guide on Trans Equality at Work, click here to view the Trans Equality at Work Guide .
- You may be eligible for NHS-funded treatment to reduce your facial hair (epilation). There is a limit to the amount of treatment funded by the NHS and there is no guarantee that this will reduce your facial hair to your complete satisfaction. If you want additional or future epilation treatment, you will have to pay for this yourself. We can advise you about this.
- Your pension and any benefits arrangements might be affected if you’re a transgender. Seek advice from your private provider and/or the Department of Works and Pensions .
- Appropriate use of pronouns may become an issue. Politely advise people of your preferred pronoun.
- Transphobic hate incidents may happen and can take many forms including verbal and physical abuse through to threatening behaviour and online abuse. Transphobic hate crime is a criminal offence.
- As you prepare for your new life you may require assistance with clothing, footwear, wigs, and cosmetics. You may also need guidance with this, your Named Professional will be able to provide advice on all these matters.
In this section
- Gender identity information
How to find an NHS gender dysphoria clinic
Trans and non-binary people's general health needs are the same as anyone else's. But trans people may have specific health needs in relation to gender dysphoria.
Your particular needs may be best addressed by transgender health services offered by NHS gender dysphoria clinics (GDCs).
All NHS GDCs are commissioned by NHS England, who set the service specifications for how they work.
A GP or another health professional can refer you directly to one of the GDCs. You do not need an assessment by a mental health service first. Neither does the GP need prior approval from their integrated care board (ICB).
The websites of the clinics listed on this page also have useful information for you to think about before you see a GP.
Children and young people's gender services
Children and young people should be referred to the National Referral Support Service for the NHS Children and Young People's Gender Service .
These NHS services specialise in helping young people with gender identity issues. They take referrals from anywhere in England.
Gender dysphoria clinics in London and the southeast
The Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust: Gender Dysphoria Clinic for Adults
Lief House 3 Sumpter House Finchley Road London NW3 5HR
Phone: 020 8938 7590
Email: [email protected]
The GDC website has an overview of information useful for anyone with gender identity needs, not just those in the area.
Gender dysphoria clinics in the north
Sheffield Health and Social Care NHS Foundation Trust Gender Dysphoria Service
Porterbrook Clinic Michael Carlisle Centre 75 Osborne Road Sheffield S11 9BF
Phone: 0114 271 6671
Email: [email protected]
The Sheffield clinic's website includes information about referrals, clinic opening hours and links to eligibility criteria.
Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust Gender Dysphoria Service
Management Suite 1st Floor The Newsam Centre Seacroft Hospital York Road Leeds LS14 6WB
Phone: 0113 855 6346
Email: [email protected]
The Leeds clinic's website covers referrals, commonly used medicines and information on the clinic's Gender Outreach workers.
Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust Northern Region Gender Dysphoria Service
Benfield House Walkergate Park Benfield Road Newcastle NE6 4PF
Phone: 0191 287 6130
Email: [email protected]
The Northern Region Gender Dysphoria Service website has a range of leaflets, including information about referral, hormones and support groups.
Gender dysphoria clinics in the Midlands
Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust Gender Dysphoria Clinic
Danetre Hospital H Block London Road Daventry Northamptonshire NN11 4DY
Phone: 03000 272858
Email: [email protected]
Visit the Northampton clinic's website for more information about how to get a referral and the role of the GP.
Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust The Nottingham Centre for Transgender Health
12 Broad Street Nottingham NG1 3AL
Phone: 0115 876 0160
Email: [email protected]
Visit The Nottingham Centre for Transgender Health website for more information about how to get a referral.
Gender dysphoria clinics in the southwest
Devon Partnership NHS Trust West of England Specialist Gender Dysphoria Clinic
The Laurels 11-15 Dix's Field Exeter EX1 1QA
Phone: 01392 677 077
Email: [email protected]
The Laurels' website has information about the types of services on offer and the help available during transition.
New gender dysphoria services in 2020
In 2020 new NHS gender dysphoria services for adults will open in Greater Manchester, London and Merseyside.
These services will be delivered by healthcare professionals with specialist skills and based in local NHS areas, such as sexual health services. Full details will be available once each service is opened.
Initially, access to these services will be available to people who are already on a waiting list to be seen at one of the established gender dysphoria clinics.
NHS England will assess how useful these new pilot services are.
Page last reviewed: 13 May 2020 Next review due: 13 May 2023
Feminising surgery patient
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Feminising surgery
Feminising genital surgery aims to reduce gender dysphoria by aligning a trans person’s anatomy with their gender identity and identity expression goals.
Some transwomen decide that they want to have surgery to permanently alter their anatomy, however not all trans feminine people choose to have surgery.
All referrals are done via the gender identity clinic and the surgery and immediate follow-up care is handled by the Gender Dysphoria National Referral Support Service (GDNRSS).
Patients may be referred to the district nurse or GP if they require wound care in the days following the operation. Patients will remain under the care of the GDNRSS for a year, after which time any ongoing care will be discharged back to the GP.
Vaginoplasty surgery
A vaginoplasty is an operation which aims to remove the penis and testes and create a vagina, which is either sexually functioning or not. While there have been several different types of procedures in the past, most vaginoplasty operations are now carried out in a standard way.
The Nottingham Centre for Transgender Health can make recommendations for surgery for those who are suited to this type of operation.
To find out more about the surgery services the NHS provide, you can read the service specification on the NHS England website .
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COMMENTS
Treatment for gender dysphoria aims to help people live the way they want to, in their preferred gender identity or as non-binary. What this means will vary from person to person, and is different for children, young people and adults. Waiting times for referral and treatment are currently long.
Gender reassignment surgery (GRS) cannot be provided until you have lived in a social role appropriate to your gender identity for at least twelve months. At some point, you will want to tell other people about your transition.
Gender dysphoria is a term that describes a sense of unease that a person may have because of a mismatch between their biological sex and their gender identity. This sense of unease or dissatisfaction may be so intense it can lead to depression and anxiety and have a harmful impact on daily life.
In 2020 new NHS gender dysphoria services for adults will open in Greater Manchester, London and Merseyside. These services will be delivered by healthcare professionals with specialist skills and based in local NHS areas, such as sexual health services.
The NHS Gender Dysphoria National Referral Support Service (GDNRSS) is a service that handles referrals for specialised gender surgery for people over the age of 17 in the UK.
Feminising genital surgery is provided as a core component of the NHS gender dysphoria care pathway for transfeminine individuals. You will require two recommendations for surgery to be undertaken by two responsible clinicians from a specialist Gender Identity Clinic (GIC) that is commissioned by NHS England.
New Victoria Hospital has been appointed by NHS England and the GNDRSS as an official UK healthcare facility to provide surgical gender affirmation procedures for patients who are on a female to ma.
Accept an appointment. When you have accepted an appointment at our centre, you will be sent detailed information including what to bring with you if you are attending a face to face appointment or sent by email if the appointment is by video consultation. Wait for follow up letter.
Feminising genital surgery aims to reduce gender dysphoria by aligning a trans person’s anatomy with their gender identity and identity expression goals.
1.1 Prescribed Specialised Service. This service specification covers the provision of surgical interventions for individuals on the NHS pathway of care for the treatment of gender dysphoria.