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TNBI First Newsletter

by | Jun 10, 2024 | Trans Health Hub

Picture credits @embershootsthings and @tlfbrighton

Hi everyone! Here’s an information post following the big TNBI patient online meeting we held last month. We think it’s really important to keep our patients updated on the work that we do, and provide spaces where we can all meet and exchange. We’ll be announcing more WellBN news and future initiatives through the website, so watch this space!

With love and solidarity,

The TNBI team at WellBN

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TNBI healthcare in the UK

There’s been a range of announcements on trans healthcare in the UK: it will be harder for young people to access blockers, and the NHS response to the Cass review is announcing changes in care provision for children. This risks leaving young patients stuck in between an old system and a new one that has not yet been implemented.

During our online meeting with TNBI patients last month, you expressed concerns about what the Cass Review means for neurodivergent patients and patients under 25 year olds. The NHS cannot prevent adults from making choices about their healthcare, but it does looks like the direction Gender Identity Services are headed in will make it easier for clinicians to gatekeep.

The statement made by royal college of GPs makes it easier for GPs to refuse care to trans patients. This is extremely disappointing but many GPs are keen on supporting TNBI patients! Trans actual is putting together a list of trans friendly GPs – so watch this space. There is already a collaborative document listing TNBI-friendly GPs in the UK.

Patients have asked how we can help them access the correct single sex wards at the hospital. Unfortunately at WellBN we do not have any purchase power on what the hospital does – but if you feel you are not safe in the ward that you have been assigned you have the right to ask for a private room.

The transphobia and ableism within the NHS is a really upsetting and scary topic! If you are worried and need support – or if you’d like to get involved to support your community: check out this document our TNBI care coordinator also put together on resources you can access.

The care we provide our over-18 TNBI patients

Adults of any age can access blockers and other gender-affirming prescriptions at WellBN through our informed consent model: our job is to make you aware of the effects, answer your questions, monitor your physical health and listen to what you feel is best for you. During our TNBI online meeting, it was asked whether we also provide mental health support and safeguarding. This is not something we receive funding for, but we try our best and we do not turn patients away because of their mental health needs.

The care we provide our under-18 TNBI patients

Following the publication of the NHS guidance on puberty blockers, we had to change how we do things regarding prescriptions for under-18s.

We will not be initiating any new first prescriptions of puberty blockers for under 18s. But we will continue to prescribe blockers for under-18s that are already using them, or that have gotten an initial prescription from elsewhere – such as GenderGP.

Other gender-affirming prescriptions such as testosterone and oestrogen are still available for 16-18year olds at WellBN. As per the NHS guidelines, people over 16 are entitled to consent to their own treatment.

Note: all providers are currently blocked from prescribing puberty blockers to under -18s until September 2024. If your prescription was made before the 3rd of June 2024 it will continue as normal. We’re hopping new prescriptions by other providers will resume in September so we can take them on as usual!

We currently have special appointments for under-18s to talk to clinicians at WellBN. If you would like to access this, or need to talk about your care, please get in touch through Klinik or the email the Trans Health Hub at sxicb-bh.transhealthhub@nhs.net.

New patients & the development of the Trans Health Hub

We temporarily stopped taking on new patients – our workload is very high and we need a bit of time to catch up. We will be open to new patients again shortly!

We are trialling something new with the Trans Health Hub: patients of other GP surgeries can now access trans care at WellBN without leaving their surgery! This is safer for patients, as it would avoid us getting overworked while still supporting the TNBI community in Sussex. For now, we can only offer this for Sussex-based patients. The service includes annual health review, prescribing  and ongoing HRT monitoring. If you or your GP would like to discuss accessing affirming care please email sxicb-bh.transhealthhub@nhs.net to discuss.

Regarding the future of TNBI healthcare at WellBN

Patients have been worried about coming to WellBN as there was a protest featured in the media… Be reassured: this protest did not last more than 15minutes and took place when the surgery was closed. But if for any reason you don’t feel safe coming to our high-street Brunswick location you can ask to be seen at Benfield or Burwash.

Regarding the worries that WellBN will not be able to continue prescribing hormones, wo would like to give some reassurance. There are guidelines from the GMC that would make it really hard to stop the care that WellBN is providing – starting with the respect for patient autonomy. There has also been a precedent with a practitioner from GenderGP, who was taken to court by the GMC and won – allowing them to continue prescribing.

Community building & Resources

The online meeting held last month was an open forum for all TNBI patients to ask questions to Dr. Hall, discuss recent developments on TNBI health care in the NHS, and touch base on the work we do at WellBN. We wanted to create a space where patients can gather, exchange, be educated and hopefully reassured. Loads of great comments were made during the meeting, and people even offered to volunteer for us!

It’s a format we had not tried before with such a big group, and it’s a learning curve. The meeting was not recorded, but we cannot guarantee the identity of attendants as it was an open meeting… if we do this again going forward we will have to weigh ease of access vs security. If you are worried about your identity being disclosed in an open online meeting, you can turn your camera off and use a pseudonym when you access the videocall.

Patients have asked how they can support the work we are doing: you can look into giving us feedback which is always extremely helpful. It shows that we are doing the right thing for patients! If you want to give feedback without disclosing your identity, the Clare project can be an intermediary.

If you are worried about the future of trans healthcare and need support – or if you’d like to get involved in initiatives : check out this document our TNBI care coordinator also put together on resources you can access.

We’d like to thank everyone who came to give us support at the Rally for Trans Healthcare in May. These are difficult times and it’s crucial to show solidarity and take care of each other!