A Sheffield GP surgery has announced it will stop prescribing hormone treatment for adult transgender patients, raising concerns that some may turn to the black market.
Far Lane Medical Centre sent a letter to all its transgender patients stating that from 1 April, it will no longer provide hormone replacement therapy (HRT) or hormone monitoring.
The Hillsborough-based practice said that after an “exceptionally challenging” year, it has decided to “opt out of the enhanced services” for transgender healthcare.
The surgery explained that providing HRT to trans patients is not part of its core contract but an optional enhanced service with separate funding.
The centre stated: “The prescribing of hormonal medication for adult transgender patients is almost solely initiated by specialist secondary care services, with the continued prescribing and monitoring undertaken under a shared care agreement, often with significant support from these specialist services.”
The surgery is also cutting other services, including anticoagulation monitoring (the process of preventing or delaying blood clotting) and suspected cancer two-week wait dermatoscopic (hand held) imaging.
Earlier this year, several Nottingham GPs sent similar letters to transgender and non-binary patients, informing them they would be ending gender-affirming care.
This type of care includes hormone therapy or surgery to align a person’s appearance with their gender identity.
Stopping HRT can reverse many of its effects, such as changes in hair growth and fat redistribution.
To receive HRT via a GP, transgender adults must be assessed by a private or NHS specialist gender clinic.
However, the Porter Brook Medical Centre in Sheffield has an average waiting time of 71 months, and a freedom of information request revealed the real-terms wait at Sheffield’s only gender identity clinic can be as long as 22 years.
This has forced many to seek private assessments, which can cost over £500.
Chay Brown, director for healthcare at charity TransActual, described these actions as “the tip of the iceberg” regarding failures in trans healthcare in the UK.
Local MP Gill Furniss has raised concerns about discrimination, as the surgery confirmed it will still prescribe HRT to cisgender women for menopause.
South Yorkshire Mayor and NHS officials have been urged to intervene, but the NHS Integrated Care Board declined to comment due to upcoming elections.