Valerian
06-10-2007, 12:39 PM
Over the last few weeks there has been an insidious, not to say invidious, change in the Policies of Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) towards Gender issues. This appears to be being driven from above.
Most PCTs (at least in the South of England) deal with Gender issues (particularly GRS [SRS to our friends across the Pond]) under what they usually call "Low Priority Medical Procedures" Policies. Under those Policies the role of the local Psychiatrist has, until recently, been merely to establish someone's "Capacity to Consent" to a procedure which is pretty much irreversable.
The wording has recently been subtly changed so that anyone wanting treatment on the NHS (whether or not involving GRS) will now need to obtain a "Positive Recommendation" from their local Psychiatrist. I don't think you need to be Einstein to spot that these "Positive Recommendations" are not going to be forthcoming very often, as most Psychiatrists will maintain, quite correctly, that they do not have the necessary training to make such a recommendation.
The bottom line is that, if the money men have their way, Gender Identity treatment on the NHS will be a thing of the past and everone will be driven back into the grubby and distinctly tacky, hands of the Private Sector.
Most PCTs (at least in the South of England) deal with Gender issues (particularly GRS [SRS to our friends across the Pond]) under what they usually call "Low Priority Medical Procedures" Policies. Under those Policies the role of the local Psychiatrist has, until recently, been merely to establish someone's "Capacity to Consent" to a procedure which is pretty much irreversable.
The wording has recently been subtly changed so that anyone wanting treatment on the NHS (whether or not involving GRS) will now need to obtain a "Positive Recommendation" from their local Psychiatrist. I don't think you need to be Einstein to spot that these "Positive Recommendations" are not going to be forthcoming very often, as most Psychiatrists will maintain, quite correctly, that they do not have the necessary training to make such a recommendation.
The bottom line is that, if the money men have their way, Gender Identity treatment on the NHS will be a thing of the past and everone will be driven back into the grubby and distinctly tacky, hands of the Private Sector.