We have been assured that there is no reason to expect that your prescriptions for hormones during the coronavirus outbreak will not continue from your GP as normal.
Some people who are on injectable hormones could find that their GP practice is unable to administer the injections at the current time. If this is the case, please ask you GP to switch you onto a different preparation of your hormones that don’t require injecting – you can give your GP all of the information they need by showing them this: https://www.ngicns.scot.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Hormone-Treatment-Alternatives-Covid-Chalmers-Final-190320.pdf
This should allow them to smoothly change your prescription, but if they are still unsure they can contact one of the GICs for further advice.
However, if you do encounter any problems with continuing your hormones during this time, you should contact the Gender Identity Clinic that covers the area you live in, even if you are not currently or have never been a patient there. They have told us that they will try to solve any problems you are having. If you email your GIC, include your phone number so they can call you back. Some GICs cannot discuss patient treatment by email.
Contact info
Chalmers GIC (people living in NHS Lothian, Fife & Borders areas):
📞 0131 536 1570
📨 Patients can’t email this GIC, but your GP can access a clinical advice email service from them
✉️ Lothian Sexual Health Clinic 2A Chalmers Street, Edinburgh, EH3 9ES
Webpage on ongoing hormone treatment: https://www.lothiansexualhealth.scot/gender-identity-clinic/gender-identity-clinic-and-coronavirus-covid-19/
Grampian GIC (people living in NHS Grampian):
📞 01224 557 651 (ask for Liz McPhail)
📨 Grampian.gic@nhs.net
✉️ Adult Psychiatry, Royal Cornhill Hospital, Cornhill Road, ABERDEEN, AB25 2ZH
Sandyford GIC (people living in all other health boards to ones listed, except NHS Highlands):
📞 0141 211 8130
📨 adultgender.sandyford@ggc.scot.nhs.uk
✉️ Sandyford Clinic, 6 Sandyford Place, Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow, G3 7NB
Webpage on ongoing hormone treatment: https://www.sandyford.scot/sexual-health-services/gender-identity-service/
We have been told by Inverness GIC that they have already contacted their patients to check that there is no problem with their hormone prescriptions.
If you are accessing your hormones via a private provider, you should be able to continue this as usual. If you are temporarily unable to access your private prescription then your NHS GP may be willing to consider providing a bridging prescription during that time, as a harm reduction measure. However they are not obliged to.
We know that this is a very stressful time for everyone, and also that our NHS is under great strain. Please get in touch with us if you are having problems continuing your hormones and have been unable to solve the issue using the above info. If so, we will do everything we can to help.
