Shaughna - referral date April 2018

So I went to my doctor in the middle of October, 3 days after realising I was transgender, and while the doctor came across quite sympathetic and caring, he also didn’t seem to know much about gender identity or how he could help me.

I asked to be referred to a gender identity clinic, and he said it would be best for me to speak to a psychiatrist and psychologist first.

It wasn’t until 6 months later that I was put on the waiting list, I chose Northumberland, despite the fact that I live in the midlands, because, at the time, it had the shortest waiting list of 11 months, this turned into 24 months a year later, and then the following year, a pandemic happened.

Whilst I was on the waiting list, I had several letters arrive in the post from the clinic, unfortunately and dishearteningly, these were newsletters, rather than progress reports.

Finally, in May of this year, I was given my first appointment date, which went into a whole lot of depth about my childhood, my parent's divorce and my school life.

Towards the end of the meeting, I was told that I’d more than likely be referred to them to be assessed by their doctor, that was the good news, the bad, in the amount of time I’d be waiting - nearly 4 years.

With crippling, near suicidal dysphoria, in 2018, I sought out private treatment, through gendergp, who, I can honestly say, saved my life where the NHS has failed me so badly.