More GPs deny hormone treatment to trans patients or halt their prescriptions

Doctors cite lack of expertise or funding as key factors

- BILLIE GAY JACKSON, HOLLY BANCROFT

Transgender men and women are increasingly having crucial hormone treatment withdrawn by NHS doctors, an investigation has found.

Trans patients and staff at NHS gender services have said that cases of people being refused hormone replacement therapy (HRT) or having the medication withdrawn are on the rise.

HRT is a crucial part of the transition process for many trans people, and involves the administration of hormones to align a person’s physical characteristics with their gender identity.

Sources within gender services and primary care point to lack of funding, uncertainty from GPs about whether they can prescribe the treatment, and the Cass Review as factors in the trend.

One GP said that, even though the Cass Review looked at children’s care, the recommendations about exercising caution in providing hormones have had a knock-on impact on adult services, with practitioners “genuinely scared” about doing something wrong.

An investigation by The Bureau of Investigative Journalism, published in partnership with The Independent, spoke to adult trans patients as well as NHS staff about the issue.

Hormones withdrawn

The text message Emily* received from her GP practice was life-changing. Emily, who is transgender, was first prescribed hormone replacement therapy two years ago. It had enabled her life to feel “ordinary”. Suddenly her prescription had been stopped.

The message explained that the GP practice was unable to “safely support ongoing prescribing or monitoring” of the “specialist drug”. If Emily wanted a new prescription, she would have to go private – a cost she could not afford.