How to transfer your care to Gender Plus if you are based in the UK
We know how stressful it can be to transfer your care from another provider and we are here to help.
The following step by step information is for those who have been on gender-affirming hormone therapy for at least 12 months and would like to transfer their care to the CQC registered Gender Plus Hormone Clinic (GPHC).
Are you aged 18 plus?
To qualify you must:
- have been on gender-affirming hormone therapy for at least 12 months.
- have a summary of care document and/or previous gender assessment report.
Are you aged 16/17?
While our standard pathway involves six sessions with our psychosocial team, we do offer a dedicated pathway for those aged 16 or 17 who are already receiving gender-affirming care and who wish to transfer over to Gender Plus. We do not require you to have been on treatment for a specific period of time. The number of sessions required will be determined during an initial appointment with our psychosocial clinician and will be dependent on a range of factors, including where you are on your journey, your overall well-being and the level of support you have had to date. To qualify you must have:
- a summary of care document and/or previous gender assessment report
- copies of all associated medical summaries including blood tests
A note on shared care:
While shared care is not guaranteed, the Gender Plus Hormone Clinic proactively pursues and supports shared care for all service users, wherever they may be based.
As the UK’s only CQC registered gender identity clinic serving those aged 16 plus, we are proud to have an 65% success rate in securing shared care with patients’ GPs. Where GPs will not enter into a shared care arrangement Gender Plus has partner organisations that can provide those relevant services.
Three steps to transferring your care to the Gender Plus Hormone Clinic
Step one:
For patients aged 18 plus
Set up a transfer of care assessment appointment with a member of our psychosocial team who will confirm your diagnosis and recommended treatment plan. This will cost £275.
Please note there may be cases where more than one appointment is necessary. Visit https://uk.genderplus.com to book your appointment.
For those aged 16 and 17
Set up a transfer of care assessment appointment with a member of our psychosocial team. Based on your individual circumstances, the clinician will be able to advise on your recommended treatment plan and advise you how many sessions you will need to transfer your care to Gender Plus. This will cost £275 per session.
Visit https://uk.genderplus.com to book your appointment.
Step two:
Once you have been accepted into the hormone pathway you can book a transfer of care consultation with the Gender Plus Hormone Clinic, whose role will be to take over care and prescribe hormones. This will cost £275. You will be sent a link to book this session when our dedicated team writes to you and your GP to request relevant bloods and medical history.
Step three:
Below we have a range of options depending on your treatment pathway.
For those on masculinising hormone therapy (trans men, transmasculine or AFAB non-binary people):
Wherever possible, Gender Plus will look to enter into a shared care agreement with your GP for a period of 12 months. This service costs £40 per month for those over the age of 18 and £80 per month for those aged 16 and 17. The subscription fee covers the cost of follow-on reviews, medical oversight and blood monitoring, as well as prescriptions when required. Once this 12 month period is complete, and your treatment protocol is well established, you will be fully discharged to the care of your GP. NB: if your treatment is not established within this 12 month timeframe this period may need to be extended.
For those on feminising hormone therapy (trans women, transfeminine or AMAB non-binary people):
Wherever possible, Gender Plus will look to enter into a shared care agreement with your GP for a period of 12 months. This service costs £40 per month for those over the age of 18 and £80 per month for those aged 16 and 17 and covers the cost of follow-on reviews, medical oversight and blood monitoring, as well as prescriptions when required. Once this 12 month period is complete, and your treatment protocol is well established, our aim is for you to be fully discharged to the care of your GP. NB: if your treatment is not established within this 12 month time frame this period may need to be extended.
Please note that Gender Plus does not prescribe cyproterone acetate (Androcur) or spironolactone (Aldactone/Finasteride), as such you will need to switch to GnRHa which performs the same function but is more widely used in feminising treatment protocols.
Costs
The total cost to cover transfer of care to your GP is approximately £1030.
How to transfer your care to Gender Plus if you are based in Ireland
We know how stressful it can be to transfer your care from another provider and we are here to help.
The following step by step information is for those who have been on gender-affirming hormone therapy for at least 12 months and would like to transfer their care to the Gender Plus Hormone Clinic (GPHC).
Are you aged 18 plus?
We offer a fast-track service for those aged 18 plus. To qualify you must:
● have been on gender-affirming hormone therapy for at least 12 months.
● have a summary of care document and/or previous gender assessment report.
Are you aged 16/17?
While our standard pathway involves six sessions with our psychosocial team, we do offer a dedicated pathway for those aged 16 or 17 who are already receiving gender affirming care and who wish to transfer over to Gender Plus. We do not require you to have been on treatment for a specific period of time. The number of sessions required will be determined by an initial appointment with our psychosocial team and will be dependent on a range of factors including where you are on your journey, your overall well-being and the level of support you have had to date. To qualify you must:
● have a summary of care document and/or previous gender assessment report.
Three steps to transferring your care to the Gender Plus Hormone Clinic
Step one:
For patients aged 18 plus
Set up a transfer of care assessment appointment with Dr. Aidan Kelly who will confirm your diagnosis and recommend treatment. This will cost €320. Please note there may be cases where more than one appointment is necessary. To book a session visit https://ie.genderplus.com
For those aged 16 and 17
Set up a transfer of care assessment appointment with our psychosocial clinician who will confirm your diagnosis and recommend treatment. Based on your individual circumstances, our psychosocial clinician will be able to advise on your diagnosis and recommended treatment plan, as well as how many sessions you will need to transfer your care to Gender Plus. This will cost €320 per session. To book a session visit https://ie.genderplus.com
Step two:
Once you have been accepted into the hormone pathway you can book a transfer of care consultation with the Gender Plus Hormone Clinic, to take over care and prescribe hormones. This will cost €320. You will be sent a link to book this session when our dedicated team writes to you and your GP to request relevant bloods and medical history.
Step three:
Below we have a range of options depending on your treatment pathway.
For those on masculinising hormone therapy (trans men, transmasculine or AFAB non-binary people):
Wherever possible, Gender Plus will look to enter into a shared care agreement with your GP for a period of 12 months. This service costs €45 per month for those over the age of 18 and €95 per month for those aged 16 and 17. The subscription fee covers the cost of follow-on reviews, medical oversight and blood monitoring, as well as prescriptions when required. Once this 12 month period is complete, and your treatment protocol is well established, you will be fully discharged to the care of your GP. NB: if your treatment is not established within this 12 month timeframe this period may need to be extended.
For those on feminising hormone therapy (trans women, transfeminine or AMAB non-binary people):
Wherever possible, Gender Plus will look to enter into a shared care agreement with your GP for a period of 12 months. This service costs €45 per month for those over the age of 18 and €95 per month for those aged 16 and 17 and covers the cost of follow-on reviews, medical oversight and blood monitoring, as well as prescriptions when required. Once this 12 month period is complete, and your treatment protocol is well established, you will be fully discharged to the care of your GP. NB: if your treatment is not established within this 12 month timeframe this period may need to be extended.
Please note that Gender Plus does not prescribe cyproterone acetate (Androcur) or spironolactone (Aldactone), as such you will need to switch to GnRHa which performs the same function but is more widely used in feminising treatment protocols.
The total cost for transfer of care is approximately €640-€1720 depending on the above factors. This does not include prescription medication costs (which can be covered by the Drugs Payment Scheme or Medical Card).
Frequently asked questions UK and Ireland:
Q: Is the transfer of care pathway cheaper than the standard pathway with Gender Plus?
A: Yes, transfer of care costs around 50% less than the standard pathway.
Q: Why is the transfer of care pathway a cheaper option?
A: The transfer of care pathway is cheaper because those who are already established on treatment require a shorter hormone pathway, as well as less input from our team. Additional psycho-social support is also not included in the transfer of care pathway. These services are available at an additional cost, should patients require them.
Q: Do I only need to access one session to qualify for transfer of care to Gender Plus?
A: In most cases one session will be sufficient but if it is felt that additional sessions with the Psychosocial or Hormone team are necessary, we will advise accordingly.
Q: How is my care transferred to my GP?
A: We manage your care together with your GP for a period of 12 months, providing any necessary training and support. Once your time with our service is complete and you are ready to be discharged, our team will liaise directly with your GP to ease your transition into their care.
Q: Will Gender Plus provide ongoing supervision and support to my GP and if so how long for?
A: We will continue to be available, should your healthcare provider have any questions or concerns.
Q: Why can’t I keep taking Cyproterone Acetate (Androcur) or Spironolactone (Aldactone)?
A: At the Gender Plus Hormone Clinic we prescribe GnRHa rather than Androcur or Aldactone. GnRHa is well tolerated and less experimental than these other medications and as such it is our preferred approach to suppressing masculinising hormones when following a feminisation protocol.
Q: Will my private health insurance cover the cost of using your service?
A: Some of the costs of the clinical psychologist and endocrinologist appointments may be covered by your private health insurance. Please check with your provider.
To get started, book the Transition of Care Assessment appointment online at https://ie.genderplus.com.
As a reminder, our transfer of care service is available to those who have been prescribed hormone therapy with another provider and who wish to transfer care over to Gender Plus and the Gender Plus Hormone Clinic. Adults (18+) must have been with another service for at least 12 months. Those aged 16 and 17 are not required to have been on treatment for a specific period of time but they must have a summary of care document and/or previous gender assessment report.
Do not book this appointment if you do not meet this criteria.