statement written by Emma Wolfe, with editing by the Media Working Group

Earlier today, following negative press attention, Clear Chemist, the pharmacy which dispenses prescriptions from GenderGP (the most popular private trans healthcare service in the UK), has been prevented from dispensing any form of HRT without a NHS GP signing off on the prescription.

Finding an NHS GP willing to work with GenderGP is already like trying to find a specific needle in a haystack made of needles; following this development the thousands of trans patients who currently go through GenderGP (largely due to NHS GIC wait times approaching 5 years now) are set to lose their access to HRT.

This is an unacceptable set of circumstances, caused by both a transphobic media, and the Government’s complete lack of regard for the long-since overwhelmed healthcare of one of the country’s most vulnerable minorities.

It is long since overdue for trans healthcare to be completely revamped. All GPs should be educated in trans healthcare, and we should be using an informed consent model, where a trans patient asks their GP for HRT and their GP informs them of the risks, and the trans patient can make their own decision from that information.

As it stands any GP is capable of prescribing HRT but most refuse, citing a lack of knowledge about trans healthcare. This must change.