Trans people could face wait of 12 YEARS for gender treatment
An NHS logo (Getty)
Trans people in England could soon be facing waits ofĀ up toĀ 12 years for NHS gender treatment, unless action is taken to tackle backlogs, a group has warned.
Despite NHS England claiming that the all patients should be seenĀ within 18 weeks, gender services across the country have been under increasing strain due to an influx of patients and limited capacity in recent years.
The surgeon who had performed the majority of the NHSās gender reassignment surgery last yearĀ warned that gender identity backlogs are āspiralling out of controlā – and new figures show the problem is worse than ever.
Statistics released to trans group UK Trans Info throughĀ Freedom of Information requests show that there were has been an average of 284 new referrals for gender identity services perĀ month, while justĀ 167 patients have their first appointment in the same period.
Across the UK, there are nowĀ 2744 patients on waiting lists –Ā which means that even if no more referrals are made, the existing backlogĀ wouldĀ take over a yearĀ to clear.
If patient referrals continue at the current rate and capacity does not increase, transgender people willĀ end up stuck on waiting lists for years before seeing a doctor.
The group warns: “If nothing changes, all of the GICs (Gender Identity Clinics)Ā will have waiting lists in excess of a year by March 2017, and those referred to [theĀ Northern Region Gender Dysphoria Service] NewcastleĀ will have a wait of twelve and a half years.”
It would also leaveĀ patients referred to the Leeds GIC with a projected wait ofĀ 5 years 11 months, and patients referred to theĀ Northamptonshire Gender Dysphoria ServiceĀ with a projected wait ofĀ 7 years and 4 months.
Looking at the NHS target of 18 weeks, the groupĀ says there needs to be “a significant increase in new patients being seen each month” to reverse the issue of growing waiting lists.
To bring waiting lists under control, aĀ 202% increase in capacity would be required across the UK –Ā with aĀ 400% increase inĀ Northamptonshire, and a 625% increase in Newcastle.
