Is your GP denying you HRT? Here are five things you can do

Some GPs in the UK have begun refusing to prescribe hormone replacement therapy (HRT) medication to transgender people.Trans and non-binary patients have, over the past year, reported receiving letters from their doctors saying that their HRT prescriptions, which several organisations describe as “life-saving,” had been discontinued.PinkNews has heard from individuals in London, Sheffield, Nottingham and many other parts of the UK that their GPs have cited a “lack of support”, or “lack of expertise”, in letters saying repeat prescription had been cancelled.

In many instances, these same GPs still prescribe HRT medication to cisgender patients.GPs across the country have stopped prescribing hormones to trans people. (Getty)Gender identity clinics (GICs) are now the only way for adults to access HRT through the NHS, and they predominantly rely on GPs to prescribe the hormones through shared care agreements, under which the clinics monitor patients and advise healthcare professionals about prescriptions.



Given that waiting times for first appointments at a GIC are years-long, trans patients are often forced to consider self-medication – accessing HRT medication with no medical oversight – or spend hundreds of pounds on private prescriptions.Several experts have told PinkNews that the sudden problems accessing HRT medication for transgender and non-binary people was logically inconsistent because GIC specialists were responsible for providing clinical expertise in shared care agreements.So, what can you do if your GP has informed you they will no longer prescribe hormones? Here are a few tips on how to respond.

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display('Desktop_Pagicle_Content_1'); }); Ask for the exact reason your GP won’t prescribe HRTSome doctors aren’t giving definitive reasons for their decision. (Getty)The first part of a plan of action should always be to get as much information from your doctor as possible. Many GPs’ letters cite vague reasons for the decision.

It’s in your best interest to dig through these “concerns” and get to the bottom of the issue.Your GP could be keen to avoid giving you a specific reason for the refusal – this gives you two options, depending on your situation.If you are currently under a shared care agreement with an NHS GIC, provide your GP with the clinic’s letter recommending HRT medication and any subsequent letters or emails with specialist advice on your dosage.

Come equipped with plenty of anecdotes about how HRT has helped your mental health or, if you haven’t started taking the medication, how you expect it to help you generally. Remember, you have a right to receive prescriptions provided by NHS clinics if they have given the go-ahead.Things are trickier if your shared care agreement was from a private medical organisation.

Given that GPs have a legal responsibility for any medication they provide you, they are within their rights to deny shared care agreements with private clinics. In this case, it’s best to get specialist advice from organisations such as TransActual or Citizens Advice.Either way, try to find out whether this decision was made because of a misunderstanding or something more worrying.

It can come in handy later. googletag.cmd.

push(function() { googletag.display('Desktop_Pagicle_Content_2'); }); Inform your GP that GICs don’t prescribe HRTNHS Gender Identity Clinics rarely prescribe HRT directly. (Getty)One of the main reasons GPs refuse to prescribe HRT medication is because, as a specialist clinic, GICs are unique in that they rarely prescribe medication without a shared care agreement.

The bulk of specialist services in the NHS can prescribe your medication, and your GP may be under the impression that the GIC is no different.If you have received a letter denying you HRT, it’s best to arrange an appointment with your GP to discuss the situation. As well as taking relevant documents, such as a GIC recommendation letter, inform your GP that you can’t access medication outside a shared care agreement, or ask your specialist to contact the GP to clarify how NHS HRT prescriptions work .

If you continue to experience pushback, it’s possible that your GP is refusing to prescribe hormones for a reason beyond misinformed impressions of how GICs work. If that’s the case, try the next options. googletag.

cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('Desktop_Pagicle_Content_3'); }); Ask for a second opinionIf informing your GP how HRT prescriptions work in the UK isn’t helping, ask for a second opinion, either from a specialist or another GP.

You don’t automatically have a right to a second opinion.If your doctor agrees to a referral, you can’t pick a specific GP, but you can refuse to see ones who are suggested. It’s important to do your research into any recommendations.

If your GP refuses you a second opinion, this can be an indication that they are unwilling to reverse their decision, and you should consider changing GPs or making a formal complaint. googletag.cmd.

push(function() { googletag.display('Desktop_Pagicle_Content_4'); }); Change GPs, but always check beforehandYou have a right to change doctors. (Getty)If you’re unhappy with the way your GP has handled your case, you can change doctors without giving a reason.

It’s important that you research the GP you’re thinking of letting take over your health care. You can contact the new surgery and ask for their policy on shared care agreements for HRT, as well as any other concerns you have. It could take some time to receive an answer.

GPs can deny a request for registration if they are not accepting new patients. You can find GPs near you using the NHS tracker here. googletag.

cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('Desktop_Pagicle_Content_5'); }); Complain to the practice manager, the NHS board, or an NGOAs with any public body in the UK, you have a right to complain about the provision of services at a GP surgery or any NHS public body if you have received, or are receiving treatment or care, from them.

Complaints about GPs are typically sent to, and handled by, the surgery’s practice manager and typically take at least five working days to resolve. It’s best to wait until you have had an appointment with your GP to express your concerns.You should ensure that your formal complaint includes as much information as possible, such as relevant documents, GP’s letters or written evidence of your shared care agreement.

It can help to give a timeline of events as well, including when you started or planned to start HRT through shared care and when your GP stopped providing prescriptions.If you feel the complaint hasn’t been resolved adequately, you can complain to your local NHS board, again ensuring that you provide as much information as possible. This is likely to become a stage-two complaint, which will involve an investigation that can take more than 20 working days to complete.

If this still doesn’t work, you can either take your complaint to the parliamentary and health service parliamentary health service ombudsman, which needs to be done in the same year you were informed about the prescription ending, or contact a relevant non-governmental organisation such as Mermaids, Gendered Intelligence or TransActual.Share your thoughts! Let us know in the comments below, and remember to keep the conversation respectful. The post Is your GP denying you HRT? Here are five things you can do appeared first on PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news.

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