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Do you provide services to Norway?

Unfortunately, we are unable to provide medication or prescriptions to Norway as their pharmacies do not accept paper prescriptions and there are strict border controls with regards to importing medication.

Why doesn’t GenderGP follow NHS guidelines on the treatment of trans youth?

There are no NHS or NICE guidelines in the UK, and there is no formal medical education in medical schools or in postgraduate deaneries. Core competencies for doctors working in this field do not exist in the Royal College Curricula. GenderGP does not adhere to NHS protocols which are outdated and result in delays which can be harmful to trans youth. We operate according to best practice Guidelines which favour a stage not age (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6647755/) approach. The...

What current guidelines do you follow in the care of trans youth?

We follow the Australian Standards of Care for trans and gender diverse children and adolescents (https://www.rch.org.au/uploadedFiles/Main/Content/adolescent-medicine/australian-standards-of-care-and-treatment-guidelines-for-trans-and-gender-diverse-children-and-adolescents.pdf), and the guidance issued by the University of California, San Francisco (https://transcare.ucsf.edu/guidelines/youth).

Do you support young people under 17?

Young people are assessed in line with the criteria published by The Endocrine Society Guidelines 2017. Puberty blockers are prescribed to transgender youth who fulfil the criteria, once they have started puberty. Gender affirming hormones are prescribed to youth under the age of 17 if there are ‘compelling reasons to do so’ as agreed by the Endocrine Society 2017. We follow Gillick competency - the legal provision that allows children to consent to medical treatment - but also work with the in...

Does GenderGP offer treatment to young people who do not have the support of their parents?

Yes. There are many trans people of all ages who sadly do not have the support of their parents or loved ones. For these individuals we take the same stance on consent as the NHS. (https://www.gendergp.com/treating-young-people/) More information can be found in our article on treating young people (https://www.gendergp.com/treating-young-people/). In the UK, the ability to consent can be presumed at age 16, and can be assessed prior to this. All of our young patients have their capacity to unde...

Does GenderGP provide puberty blockers to people as young as 10?

In accordance with current NHS practice, transgender youth are eligible for treatment at the start of puberty (Tanner stage 2), at which stage puberty blockers can be given to prevent the development of secondary sex characteristics such as a broken voice or facial hair and masculine skeletal development in trans girls; and breast development and periods in trans boys. Tanner stage two can begin as early as eight years of age. (https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/sexual-health/stages-of-puberty-what-ha...

Is GenderGP allowed to operate in the UK?

GenderGP is owned by a company called Harland International Ltd (https://www.gendergp.com/statement-from-harland-international-ltd-trading-as-gendergp/) which is registered in Hong Kong. It is fully regulated to operate in all countries across the world, 100% legally. We are also focused on ensuring any medication prescribed is appropriate, legal and safe, as are the pharmacies to which we signpost our patients.

What is different about GenderGP’s counselling team?

While some counsellors may claim to be experienced in helping with feelings surrounding gender, many are very new to this area. GenderGP’s specialist gender counselling team is headed up by a trans woman and the team has been supporting gender expansive people and their loved ones for the past five years. The volume of clients with whom they have interacted during this time makes them the most experienced specialist gender counselling team in the UK. All of our counsellors are qualified an...

Is it true that Dr Helen Webberley is currently suspended by the GMC?

Dr Helen Webberley's license to practice medicine is under an order of temporary suspension by the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service. No finding of fact has been made against her medical practice to date. Her GMC hearing is currently being held and started in July this year (2021). We are publishing regular updates on the GenderGP website (https://www.gendergp.com/news/) for our patients to follow. Dr Webberley remains a proud advocate for improvements in access to transgender healthc...

Why do you use EU doctors?

GenderGP is a global organisation which provides health and wellbeing services to transgender people and those who care for them. Our organisation comprises medical and therapeutic gender specialists from all over the world who are regulated in each area of their specialism in the countries in which they are based.

Who regulates GenderGP?

As an international organisation we are not bound by English regulators. However, all of our specialists are individually regulated for each of the activities they carry out in the countries in which they are professionally registered. All of our doctors, clinicians and therapists have many years experience of working with gender dysphoria, and follow strict international guidance for treatment protocols. There is not one clinician with individual responsibility as each clinical decision on f...

What are your safeguarding procedures?

At GenderGP we take the safeguarding of all patients very seriously. Our safeguarding statement and policies can be accessed (https://www.gendergp.com/safeguarding-statement/)here (https://www.gendergp.com/safeguarding-statement/).

How do you assess capacity and consent?

Capacity is obtained via written and verbal communication for all patients. Anyone who is over the age of 16 can be presumed to be able to have the capacity to consent to their own medical treatment unless concerns are raised. Anyone under the age of 16 can consent to their own treatment, as long as they are able to show that they can understand the implications of that treatment. Of course there will be people who are over 16 who will be unable to understand and make decisions, just as there wi...

Do you use an endocrinologist to monitor young people taking blockers through you?

We do not have a dedicated endocrinologist who monitors young people's treatment, as this is not a requirement for providing gender-affirming care for children or adults. There is no specific training or qualification or specialist register for gender specialists in the UK. Gender specialists can come from any medical specialty. In the NHS document Clinical Models Operated by England’s Gender Identity Clinics (https://www.england.nhs.uk/commissioning/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2015/11/gender-i...

What qualifications do your prescribers have?

There are no formal qualifications in the field of transgender healthcare. Indeed, gender specialists can come from a number of disciplines (https://bagis.co.uk/) including psychologists, psychiatrists, counsellors or therapists, but they may also be GPs, endocrinologists and nurses (https://www.england.nhs.uk/commissioning/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2015/11/gender-ident-clncs-rep-nov15.pdf). There are no UK NHS published guidelines for the care of transgender people (https://www.theguardian.co...

Does GenderGP circumvent UK regulation?

No. Our organisation is a global organisation which covers many countries including the UK. All of our practitioners are regulated in their country of residence.

What training do GenderGP staff members have?

All of our specialists are highly trained experts in the field of transgender healthcare. While there is no formal qualification in this area, there is an abundance of research, guidance, and best-practice evidence.

Do you have a multidisciplinary team and who does this consist of?

Yes, we have a multidisciplinary team. Marianne is our Head of Counselling and Psychotherapy, Dr Yasmeen is our Medical Lead in charge of medical monitoring, and Katie is our Head of Patient Services.