The BBC has reported that transgender patients are choosing to self-medicate with hormones bought online from unregulated sources due to long waiting times to see NHS specialists. At GenderGP we are all too aware of this, as we support many trans patients who were once ‘self-medding’, by providing them with testosterone and oestrogen on prescription from a reliable and regulated source.
The FOIs obtained by the BBC Victoria Derbyshire Show highlight the long waiting lists for a first appointment at a Gender Identity Clinic (GIC), but we know that in reality, the time from being referred to actually accessing help can be 4-5 years. Mental health suffers greatly in that time, and the development of unwanted feminine / masculine physical features during the excessive wait causes long-term harm.
We would like to extend our services to as many transgender people who need our help as possible, especially to those currently self-medicating with unlicensed and potentially dangerous medicines purchased online. At GenderGP we aim to support any trans person that needs our help, and we encourage anyone who may want to use our services to get in touch, no matter what their financial situation.
GenderGP prescribes only 100% regulated medicines which are dispensed from our UK pharmacy, ClearChemist. We also work with qualified healthcare professionals who understand the importance of real medicines, properly monitored. There are also many GPs who work with us to prescribe and monitor blood tests under our supervision. We also offer a completely private service totally independent from GPs, where patients can obtain blood tests and other provisions directly from our UK pharmacy.
We are aware that the NHS services for transgender people in the UK are broken and urgently need reform, which is why we started this petition last year to urge Ministers, NHS decision-makers and government healthcare advisors to take action. We believe that NHS Gender Identity Clinics will never be able to cope with the growing demand, and that it is time to bring this simple area of healthcare into General Practice, where GPs are very used to prescribing hormones. Trans people do not need specialist clinics to validate their gender identity through invasive questioning and unnecessary gatekeeping.
We have information about what to do if you’re self-medicating here, or if you would like to talk to a member of our team about your hormone medication, or how GenderGP might be able to support your transition, please visit our Help Centre for fully confidential and expert healthcare advice.