Healthwatch Survey for Transgender People
Do you identify as transgender? Healthwatch want to hear your story!
- Have you used health and social care services such as GP practices, hospitals or mental health services?
- Have you used or tried to access Gender Identity Services?
- Healthwatch wants to make sure your experiences are used to develop services for transgender people.
What has Healthwatch already heard?
Are health and social care services working for transgender people?
Work across England within local Healthwatch organisations has highlighted a need to ensure frontline staff in all health and social care services (including GPs, hospitals and mental health services) receive LGB and Trans awareness training to ensure people receive the dignity and respect they need when accessing services. (Read the South Gloucestershire LGBT health needs assessment here)
Gender Identity Services:
Healthwatch England has raised concerns with NHS England over Gender Identity Services. This is based on feedback from around the local Healthwatch network which shows that sometimes the help that people need is not there. Healthwatch England’s findings, in brief, are as follows:
- Waiting times for operations, which should be less than 18 weeks, are sometimes as much as 21 months.
- Demand for services for transgender people is increasing each year – but there are not enough specialist services to cope.
- Communication with patients is poor, leaving people who are waiting for help unsure as to when they might get it.
How can you have your say?
Using health and social care services:
- Healthwatch Southwark has developed a survey to find out how easy it is for transgender respondents to access healthcare services, find information and how they are treated by health professionals. They also ask respondents for their key recommendations to make services better for transgender users.
- The survey can be accessed here
Gender Identity Services: your voice counts!
- The three Local Healthwatch organisations in Devon are working together to support Leanne Wilkinson of Healthwatch Devon and Carol Steel, who has been working with Healthwatch Torbay. A survey has been developed to find out about your experiences of accessing Gender Identity Services. The feedback gathered via this survey will be used to inform discussions at the transgender and non binary people workshop being held on the 3 December by NHS England.
- Anyone can have their say (you do not have to live or use services in Devon).
- The survey can be accessed here
Please take the time to complete the surveys. Your answers will be anonymous (unless you are happy to leave your details). Healthwatch will not contact you without your permission, and will not share personal details with any third party.
Thank you,
The Healthwatch Network
