 Gender dysphoria services: a guide for General Practitioners and others | [Archive copy hosted by UK Trans Info] |
| Gender dysphoria services: a guide for General Practitioners and others | [Link to copy hosted by NHS England] |
Brief Summary
This document was prepared by representatives of Gender Identity Clinics (GICs) across England, at the request of the Department of Health, to provide an outline of necessary gender services. The information in this guide is primarily aimed at General Practitioners (GPs) but will also be of relevance to other healthcare practitioners, NHS England, Clinical Commissioning Group Commissioners and all users of gender services.
Clinical representatives from GICs in London, Nottingham, Leeds and Sunderland met in April 2012 to agree the basics of a draft common protocol based on best current NHS practice. An early draft of this document was shared with all UK gender clinics and specialists for their input. Following that, trans people and organisations representing them were given an extensive opportunity to comment on the draft. This document is also informed by the seventh edition of the World Professional Association of Transgender Health (WPATH) Standards of Care and later drafts of the Royal College of Psychiatrists Standards of Care for Treatment of Gender Dysphoria.
This document is not able to cover in any detail issues relating to future commissioning arrangements for Gender services. From April 2013, commissioning for such services will be carried out nationally by NHS England. Further information will appear on their website in due course.
This document also does not cover in detail such related issues as self-medicating, the specifics of official name change, arranging gamete storage, etc. Some of this information can be found on the relevant pages of the NHS Choices website at: http://www.nhs.uk/livewell/transhealth/pages/transhealthhome.aspx
KEY POINTS
- Refer early and swiftly to a reputable Gender service
- Support the treatment recommended by the Gender service
- Get pronouns right; if in doubt, (discreetly) ask
- Be particularly mindful of medical confidentiality
- Avoid misattributing commonplace health problems to gender
This document will be updated in future by in consultation with a range of users and providers of gender services.
