The Devon gender clinic’s long waits are causing severe distress for many, with some waiting up to eight years for care
The West of England Specialist Gender Identity Clinic, also known as The Laurels, has a waiting list of nearly 5,000 people. Those who signed up back in January 2017 are just now getting seen. It’s a real mess.
Even with an extra £6 million in funding, the long waits don’t seem to be getting any better. Abbie, a 29-year-old from Torquay, has been waiting five years. She’s shared how tough it’s been for her.
Before she got on the list, her mental health took a nosedive. She even ended up in the hospital after a serious incident. To get help sooner, she had to pay for private treatment. She’s worried about others who can’t afford that option.
Abbie was referred to the clinic in April 2020 while living in Bournemouth. She moved to Devon hoping for quicker treatment, but she’s still waiting. It’s been hard on her mentally and physically.
She thought the wait would be three years, but now it’s been five with no updates. The only support she’s received is from a charity, but it hasn’t been enough.
Abbie’s journey has been tough. She was adopted at five and faced a lot of challenges growing up. She always felt different and started questioning her identity early on.
After two years on the waiting list, she decided to pay for a private clinic in London. There, she was diagnosed with gender dysphoria and started hormone therapy.
Now, she’s on HRT and has to travel to London for follow-ups. She says hormone therapy has changed her life, but she still dreams of having surgery to fully transition.
Abbie has faced a lot of struggles, including financial issues and mental health challenges. She’s currently on benefits and sometimes struggles to afford her treatment.
She just wants that first appointment at the Exeter clinic. Once she gets that, she can access more support through the NHS.
The waiting game is tough, especially when many people still don’t accept those on transgender journeys. Abbie has faced negativity in public, but her dad is supportive, which helps a lot.
The average wait time used to be around four years, but now it’s hard to say. The number of people waiting has nearly doubled in the last four years.
DPT has acknowledged the issue, blaming it on increased demand and staffing shortages. They’re working on improving services, but the backlog is still significant.
Recently, they’ve hired new staff and are trying to see more people each month. They’re also exploring options to reduce travel times for patients.
DPT encourages anyone on the waiting list to keep their contact details updated. They want to help more people, but it’s a tough situation.
For those waiting, there are resources like Gendered Intelligence for peer support and advice. It’s a challenging time, but there are people out there trying to help.
