private-care.md 4.8 KB
% Private Care
You'll still be using the NHS
Even with private care, you'll still use your GP for a lot of things probably, including blood tests and endocrinologist referrals, unless you get those privately too. The following external website maintains a register of good and bad GPs:\ http://transfigurations.org.uk/trans-friendly-doctors/
Get a blood test BEFORE seeing an endo, and take the results with you.
You should still self-medicate
Private trans care providers still have waiting lists, and still make you wait a while (not very long) for HRT after you first see them, in a lot of cases.
If you wish to start HRT while waiting for services with one of these providers, refer to our HRT self-medication guide
You should also get on the NHS waiting list
You should only use private care while on the NHS waiting list. You should get on the NHS waiting list as soon as possible.
Use one of these providers
GenderGP (UK)
Informed consent clinic in the UK. Provides services over the internet (email, video call, etc) or in person. Prescribes HRT quickly.
They treat children. They even prescribe HRT to children below the age 16; this includes full hormone treatment, not just blockers.
They provide advice, and they can also refer you to surgery and can help you get on NHS waiting list etc. Very good clinic, especially if you're in an awkward area of the UK where transport links to traditional clinics makes transitioning unrealistic and/or unaffordable through a regular GIC.
This clinic has proven to be controversial, precisely because they are providing decent care that patients want. Channel 4 even covered them.
GenderCare (UK)
This is very good and they don't gatekeep much. Their waiting lists are relatively rather high (as of August 2017) due to high demand, so it might be better to use GenderGP or wait on NHS referall.
Go to gendercare.co.uk for details.
Book an appointment with Dr. Lorimer and Dr. Seal.
Chase Brexton (Maryland, USA)
Informed consent clinic in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. If you live in this area or nearby areas (e.g. Washington DC) then you can use this clinic for HRT. Informed consent means you just get HRT, once they check your blood test results and so on (i.e. no gatekeeping).
This clinic *also* prescribes sublingual estradiol, unlike most clinics (it also can prescribe oral or transdermal). Most clinics do not prescribe sublingual.
Go to chasebrexton.org
Fenway Health (Massachusetts, USA
Informed consent clinic. If you live in the state of Massachusetts, you can use this provider for HRT. You can also use this if you live nearby, e.g. Rhode Island.
They also have this useful guide showing how to change your legal name and gender marker on official documents, if you live in Massachusetts.
Go to fenwayhealth.org.
Thundermist (Rhode Island, USA)
http://www.thundermisthealth.org/Services/TransHealthAccess.aspx
Informed consent clinic, can prescribe hormones.
Go to http://www.thundermisthealth.org/Services/TransHealthAccess.aspx
Michelle Forcier (Rhode Island, Providence, USA
https://www.lifespan.org/michelle-forcier-md
Go to your GP, and ask for a referral to her. The hospital that she operates in is:
RIH Dept. of Pediatrics
245 Chapman St, Ste 100
Providence, RI 02905
401-444-5980
401-444-3873
Go to https://www.lifespan.org/michelle-forcier-md
**BAD** providers which you should **AVOID LIKE THE PLAGUE**
TransHealth Ltd, or any clinic run by Dr. Richard Curtis. His clinic is heavy with gatekeeping, and refuses to prescribe injectable estrogen or oral estrogen. They also regularly refuse to prescribe spironolactone. They will only prescribe gels or patches for estrogen, and they will refuse to authorise surgery if you tell them that you self-medicate or use alternative sources for HRT (e.g. NHS GIC for injections. They won't prescribe GnRH (injection to shut down hormonal system, to block testosterone) or cyproterone acetate.
They regularly gatekeep people for several psychotherapy sessions before prescribing HRT, and they are more likely than any other GIC to actually refuse to prescribe HRT for gatekeeping reasons (e.g. they might decide that you are not trans).
They are also heavily biased against non-binary people.
DO NOT USE Dr. Curtis's services.