You would think that in the year 2026 universal healthcare in the UK would be for everyone. But it is not.
Waiting Times
The average waiting time for an appointment to see a GP is 19 days, for cancer it is 28 days and for hip replacements its 27.4 weeks. The wait time for a 1st appointment for a Gender Clinic (GIS) in the UK is 15 years. This was in 2024.
In some area’s the wait can be over a lifetime, for instance the GIS in Glasgow has a waiting time of over 200 years.
Puberty Blockers
Puberty blockers are another reason universal healthcare in the UK isn’t truly universal. While young people can access them for conditions like early puberty, they’re not available for those experiencing gender dysphoria.
Puberty blockers, as their name implies, delay or block puberty and are fully reversible. Furthermore, no child in the UK receives hormone replacement therapy (HRT) or gender dysphoria-related surgery.
I’m unaware of any transgender person in the UK who wants these treatments for children.
The only thing the transgender community wants for our young trans siblings is puberty blockers. This allows them time to confirm that this is truly what they desire.
A lot of gatekeeping within the NHS
Even for adults, gatekeeping is prevalent. Personally, I’m on shared care with a private company that recommends treatment to my GP. My GP then issues the HRT based on this recommendation and performs all my blood tests.
However, GPs have been known to refuse to even do this. I’m fortunate to have an open-minded GP who’s willing to help.
I couldn’t afford full private care. I know another transgender woman who went private because her GP wouldn’t do shared care at all and it costs her £100 a month. My cost costs £30 a month.
What are the government doing about this?
This current government isn’t improving transgender healthcare in the UK. In fact, they halted a trial of puberty blockers for young trans people because the overseeing team included some transphobic media professionals.
The situation has been getting worse for years. This is partly because the Tavistock Gender Clinic in London closed before the two new clinics (one in London and one in Manchester) even opened. As a result, young people now have nowhere to go.
Conclusion
There are only seven gender clinics in the UK and none are fully funded or staffed. I personally waited 6½ years for my first appointment at Leeds Gender Identity Service.
A friend of mine experienced a similar wait but was referred to Nottingham Gender Identity Service. She recently secured her first appointment about six months ago and is now receiving treatment for her gender dysphoria through the NHS. Her total wait was approximately 5½ years.
The current system is failing us. It needs to improve.
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