Luckily ALL of these IMO "unpleasant" members of staff have moved on to pastures new, I pity the people who get them now, I know their names too but won't say for libellous reasons
![Wink ;-)](./images/smilies/icon_e_wink.gif)
I am about to be discharged by the way. The endo discharged me at my last visit as she has done all she can do for me now and got all my bloods/hormones correct and steady but my psych nurse is keeping me on until all of my ops are finished (2 left to go).
As far as waiting times to "start" transition I can't really help because I have been there so long now things may have changed since I started. They had really long waiting times back when I was first referred. I was initially referred in 2002 and they said they had stopped taking on any new patients to clear backlog so I had to wait a year before seeing anyone. Hopefully if anyone has just been referred recently they will be able to give more info on what it's like now. I had a letter saying they have taken on a new pharmacist which they hope may speed things up a bit.
As far as referrals for surgery goes, I can only tell you where they send FTMs. For chest reconstruction surgery they sent me to Leicester Royal Infirmary and for all 4 stages of lower surgery they refer to Harley Street (The London Team). This is a private clinic but the surgery is still paid for via the NHS. I have no idea where they refer MTFs for their surgery as none of the MTFs I am know are with Leeds GIC.
I don't know if this is of any help or interest to anyone but the people I am seeing there at the moment are Dr. Ayres deals with my endo work and bloods, a very nice and affable lady, I have just been discharged from having to see her anymore as all that is now sorted. Vanessa Noble is my psych nurse, really nice, laid back and VERY helpful and caring. Last but not least is Dr. Amal Beaini is my consultant psychiatrist who is also a very nice and helpful man.
It did take me a while longer to get on hormones at Leeds that others seem to do at Charing X at that time. They run by Harry Benjamin rules so you have to live for a year in your desired gender before being prescribed hormones and I also had a drink problem so that also delayed my treatment for a while but I am overjoyed by the overall treatment I have received from Leeds GIC.
One thing I would like to point out is that Leeds GIC organised all aspects of both my upper and lower surgery, including applying for all fundings on my behalf from my PCT and contacting the necessary surgeons to arrange dates for the ops etc., which I have heard that Charing X don't do (I may be wrong here though). This has taken a major amount off stress off me as I have heard of transfolk who have had all sorts of problems and worries over funding applications etc.
John