Leeds & Exeter GIC contact details

[Christine]

Does anyone have contact details for Leeds and Exeter GICs? And know the procedures for referral? I'm assuming one can call them to register an interest and then get the GP to do an actual referral, but I figured I'd ask in case anyone knows what's the deal.

I'm asking on behalf of my young friend from Brighton. Back in the bad old days she'd have no choice but to go the CX, where she'd have not just the insane waiting lists but also the risk of having to contend with Barrett, which is significantly less than ideal as she's quite vulnerable; as well as my understanding that other GICs are likely to use her local hospital for surgery whereas CX are seemingly unique in refusing to do so without a fight.

So that's the rationale. The next step is to help her make it happen. She says her GP is helpful but also very conservative and cautious, so building a good case for referral to a different GIC and how to do it would be helpful.

[Ice Maiden]

Where GPs Refer tends to be 'extra contractual referral' 'preferred' locations.

In most cases it is the nearest specialist "centre of excellence"... For purely practical reasons.

Dr Barratt is a very good practitioner, I have known him before he even became a consultant at 3 North CX Hospital (thats really old skool Gender Clinic). So if there is an issue it may usually be down to the patient. There are other practitioners at the London Clinic so asked to be treated by one of his colleagues if the 'chemistry' is not right.

I personally would not venture south or north as almost all clinics are oversubscribed and struggling with the burden of transgender people coming out.

This is the thing, back in the day, fear helped control the system. People frightened to come out meant the system could cope. Now that same system is expected to managed 10 times the load but patients all expect the same level of care I may have had. It is a simple case of logistics and practitioners are under pressure as well they are only human after all no matter what people might say

[Christine]

Barrett is certainly not "a very good practitioner" IMHO, and many patients (and some doctors) have experienced problems with him, particularly those who are unable to work full time for any reason. Which includes both myself and my friend, and I find it rather offensive to say that the problem is with the patient: yes, I certainly have problems with agoraphobia (his solution being that I should just try harder, showing a fundamental lack of understanding, or caring for that matter) and depression, common with other trans-people, and which shouldn't exclude me from vital medical treatment. I've also found him to be quite rude and unprofessional, and if my own experience isn't enough, these are also frequently complained about problems.

I have attempted to be seen by other practitioners at CX but that hasn't stopped him from attempting to meddle with my referral, if my understanding is correct.

I don't entirely understand your point about the other clinics being oversubscribed considering the queues both into and out of CX are infamously bad and the other clinics seem to be a lot quicker: at my recent appointment I spoke to patients from other GICs who were "processed" in far less time than I was, for example.

[Ice Maiden]

I am not defending Charing Cross anymore than any other clinic I can only speak from my personal experience and that was very good with him - what more can I say? Two other friends of mine speak highly of him too.

I am not suggesting he has treated you the same as I was not there, I am only speaking for myself and what I understand to be the case elsewhere.

I could be wrong of course x

[JustMe]

I don't entirely understand your point about the other clinics being oversubscribed considering the queues both into and out of CX are infamously bad and the other clinics seem to be a lot quicker: at my recent appointment I spoke to patients from other GICs who were "processed" in far less time than I was, for example.

I can back what Ice has said here Christine. I know that Leeds is also really quite oversubscribed - the difference is that there is a surgeon up here in Leeds who is able to do the procedures (seperate from the one(s) down at CX) which I'm sure must help. I think that Leeds have quite long waiting lists once a patient is referred to them. Now, I was lucky (and I don't know how they make the decisions as to who actually comes off the waiting list and onto their caseload) but there was a lady who used to come on here a lot who was referred at the same time as me but who missed getting to the top of the waiting list before the funding was reached for that year. As far as I know, she was going to have to wait for the next year to be funded (that's my understanding of it anyway). So, I think that the waiting times are similar across the country - the difference seems to be the access to the surgeons.

Also, I would say that it would be highly unlikely that a GP down in Brighton would refer someone up to Leeds for care - apart from the distances involved and being able to get to appointments there is the funding. I'm sure that there would be funding bureacracy involved too - which area CCG should approve the funding (and all of that kind of stuff). I suppose it would be a bit like wanting to have a GP up here but still live down in Brighton.

Hugs
Kerry x.