Trans citizens in the U.K. have been turned away when seeking hormone replacement therapy (HRT) over the past year, according to reports from Trans Actual. Around 215 individuals have been refused these gender affirming treatments, and around 26% of those cases had recommendations from National Health Service (NHS) gender clinics.
Individuals facing this issue were seen across the U.K.’s territories including Scotland and Wales. According to Pink News, 27% of those seeking medication were using a new prescription, 73% had previously been treated with HRT, and 38% had been discharged by a NHS gender clinic. Almost half of those reporting difficulties claimed they had been on HRT for more than five years already.
In recent years in the U.K., the system of healthcare for gender affirming medical practices has been not only under active investigation, but has been interrupted by new anti-trans legislation. In the spring of this year, England’s NHS banned the prescription of puberty blockers to individuals under the age of 18. Now, even with the permission of parents or guardians, no minors will be able to access puberty blockers. Still studies have shown that without access to proper gender affirming care, trans and nonbinary children and teens are at greater risk for mental health issues such as depression or suicidal thoughts and ideations.
Activists have called out general practitioners (GPs) across the country for refusing their patients proper access to care, claiming they are making decisions based on their own personal beliefs. “Transphobic GPs, especially in England, are feeling empowered to unilaterally deprive their patients of critical medicines for reasons of their own bigotry,” said Keyne Walker, Trans Actual’s strategy director. “Every party of the NHS must take some responsibility for letting this happen.”
