Posted by
Anna at 20:04 on Friday, January 24, 2003
Fed up, tearful and annoyed. That's today in a nutshell.
The reason? No matter what I try I still can't get my GP to take on my prescription. The main problem is the lack of licencing - as far as I'm aware there aren't
any hormones licenced for the treatment of transsexualism in the UK. Considering NHS treatment has been available here for over 25 years, that's
diabolical.
The post I wrote in the TS Chat Community last night describes the situation:
Hi everyone,
I'm hoping someone might be able to answer a question that's puzzling and irritating me at the moment.
A bit of background first for anyone who doesn't know me (as if!). Those of you who saw my original post or have visited my website will know I'm a 36 yer old pre-op who's just started RLT. I was diagnosed in August 2001, and after failing to get an NHS referral in late 2001 (it turns out my HA was operating a ban on funding) I found out how bad a reputation CHX has with patients and eventually (in May 2002) gave up and went to see Russell Reid. His regime suits me perfectly.
He prescribed Ovran and Oestrogel (a common combination then), but in the Summer Ovran was withdrawn so I had to change my prescription. I was given two recommendations - Ovranette or Yasmin. Yasmin has the benefit of also being anti-androgenic (I really don't want to start on Androcur) but is hellishly expensive if obtained privately.
After receiving an undertaking from my GP that she'd be willing to take on the prescription after 3 months, I did indeed start on Yasmin, though I had to pay for the first prescription myself (�182.50!). It suits me perfectly, so I don't want to change again.
When the 3 month period was up in December I went back to see her to find out what (if anything) I needed to do next. She went away to consult with her partners in the practice, but a week later called me to tell me that she couldn't prescribe because the North Hampshire PCT wouldn't fund gender reassignment treatment.
I contacted them myself (and by this time I was in a terrible state) and told them in no uncertain terms that their policy was unlawful following the High Court Ruling against NW Lancs HA in 1998. I also got my MP (Andrew Hunter) involved.
Some time later (after trying for some time to contact them) I finally got through to them and was told that they'd changed their policy (!) and that whether my GP prescribed was now a matter for her and her partners. I honestly thought I was home and dry.
However, when I contacted my GP today she told me they'd decided they couldn't prescribe because the drugs I was being treated with are not licenced for that use.
So, my query is - exactly WHAT drugs are licenced in the UK for the treatment of transsexualism? I couldn't find anything in the BNF, which seems particularly nutty when you consider the NHS prescribes the same hormones through consultants without any qualms.
The more I dig into NHS provision for our treatment, the more despondent I get. It's a mess, and it's about time some heads were knocked together to sort it out.
Well, since writing that I've got precisely nowhere...I spent most of today either on the phone or crying...neither of which is particularly good considering I was in work today. I've been in touch with my MP, the Primary Care Trust, the Strategic Health Authority, NHS Direct, the Community Health Council, the Patient Liason Advisory Service, two GPs, the Practice Manager at my surgery and Press For Change.
So far, I'm getting nowhere. The only other thing I can think of is to contact the Gendys Network, the Parliamentary Forum and the National Institute of Clinical Excellence....but I won't give up. I'm not going to let it put me back where I was before, but it really hurts to run up against unnecessary brick walls like this.
I've been tearful and unable to concentrate at work for the last two days now, which isn't fair on anyone around me. The whole system is a mess.
Other news now. I've lodged my appeal with the CSA, so now it's time to wait before the inevitable rejection happens.
The one good thing that's happened this week was the support group meeting in Reading I went to. As it's about the only socialising I do right now it's rather important to me, and there are people there who mean a great deal to me. It's good to be among those who really understand.
