New NHS Gender Guide issued

[Karin]

During my recent appointment and referral to gender clinic last week, i found out that theres been a reorganisation of how the gender services here in the UK are managed, and that new updated guidlines have been issued now.

Could be an interesting read for anyone wanting to seek assistance etc..
Patients help page is here.. http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Transhealth/ ... rview.aspx
The Staff guide is here http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Transhealth/ ... -staff.pdf


Gender dysphoria services: a guide for General Practitioners and other healthcare staff

An interesting quote.."However, it should be emphasised that Gender Dysphoria and Transsexualism are not considered, in and of themselves, mental illnesses in any essential sense"

"The most common gender related diagnosis is Transsexualism.
The ICD-10 diagnosis of Transsexualism (F64.0) in adults requires three criteria to be met:
• The desire to live and be accepted as a member of the opposite sex, usually accompanied by the wish to make his or her body as congruent as possible with the preferred sex through surgery and hormone treatment
• The transsexual identity has been present persistently for at least two years
• The disorder is not a symptom of another mental disorder or a chromosomal abnormality."

"Gender service: initial assessment
Commonly, assessment takes place over at least two appointments, usually with two separate clinicians, effectively forming parts of a whole. Sometimes,individuals with complex circumstances or with a history of having detransitioned (returned to a gender role in accordance with their birth sex) will require further assessment.

Sometimes, as in the case of individuals who were previously known to the gender service or to other gender services, a second appointment may not be necessary in identifying and addressing their specific needs.Typically, there is an intervening gap between initial appointments, to allow for reflection and, if appropriate, initiation or consolidation of a social gender role change, interpretation of the results of blood and other investigations, etc. Ideally, there should be no more than four months between appointments."

[KimberlyS]

Karin thanks for posting the information. It is good to see things are changing for the better.