Updated Dec 2024
This is the most recent information we have been provided with by each organisation as of 2024-12-01.
Important notes
Caveat
Waiting times indicate how long patients who have just been invited for an appointment have waited for. As demand is currently increasing over time, this means it is likely you will wait longer than the time shown on this page.
Waiting time information shown on this page is taken from information given directly to us by the services or published on their website.
Many gender services currently have very lengthy wait lists, and it can be very difficult to be waiting for so long. You can find ways you can get help while you are waiting on our Mental Health page.
Free UK-based services
You can access these gender services for free by asking your GP to make a referral. However, these services have significant waiting lists, and may require a wait of several years before being seen. They will also only accept you as a patient if you are registered with a GP in a specific area.
Service |
To be seen (in months) | To get hormones (in months) |
Total (in months) |
---|---|---|---|
Belfastmore info | 75 | ||
Belfast KOImore info | 24 | ||
Cardiffmore info | 20 | ||
Edinburghmore info | 16 | ||
Exetermore info | 93 | 12 | 105 |
Glasgowmore info | 72 | ||
Glasgow Youthmore info | 65 | ||
Grampianmore info | 35 | 12 | 47 |
Invernessmore info | 29 | ||
Leedsmore info | 63 | 10 | 73 |
London GICmore info | 67 | 10 | 77 |
London GIDSmore info | Not accepting new patients | ||
London TransPlusmore info | |||
Newcastlemore info | 75 | 12 | 87 |
Northantsmore info | 70 | 9 | 79 |
Nottinghammore info | 26 | 11 | 37 |
Sheffieldmore info | 67 | 16 | 83 |
The Northern Hubmore info | Opening in 2024 | ||
The Southern Hubmore info | Opening in 2024 |
Youth services: The most recent information we have about waits for children and young people’s gender services is:
Longest wait |
Queue length |
||
---|---|---|---|
England & Wales | 5.5 years | 5676 | (source) |
Scotland | 4.5 years | 1179 | (source) |
Northern Ireland | 2 years | 45 | (source) |
Information about referrals for under 17s in England and Wales can be found on the Arden and GEM website.
Transfers
NHS gender services vary in how they handle wait times for patients transferring from the wait list of another NHS gender service. The following table shows whether your original referral date will be honoured if you transfer to each service. This information was based on information on the websites of the services when we last checked, but you may wish to confirm what rules would apply to you by contacting the gender service yourself before arranging a transfer to them.
Service |
from youth wait list | from any NHS wait list |
between UK nations |
---|---|---|---|
Belfastmore info | |||
Belfast KOImore info | |||
Cardiffmore info | |||
Edinburghmore info | |||
Exetermore info | |||
Glasgowmore info | |||
Glasgow Youthmore info | |||
Grampianmore info | |||
Invernessmore info | |||
Leedsmore info | |||
London GICmore info | |||
London GIDSmore info | |||
London TransPlusmore info | |||
Newcastlemore info | |||
Northantsmore info | |||
Nottinghammore info | |||
Sheffieldmore info | |||
The Northern Hubmore info | |||
The Southern Hubmore info |
Paid UK-based services
There are also several private gender services which charge fees but which may have significantly shorter waiting lists. You may wish to use these services while on the waiting list for an NHS service. It can overwhelming trying to choose which gender service to be referred to, but you can find useful tips on how to choose on our Choosing a Gender Service page.
Note that while some services will see patients younger than 18 for an assessment, not all will offer hormone therapy. You may wish to contact services to find out if they are willing to prescribe to under 18s before paying money to a service.
Detailed information
Belfast
Brackenburn
https://belfasttrust.hscni.net/service/regional-gender-identity-service/Northern Ireland residents only
Hormones
months additional minimum wait for HRT
Total
average minimum total time to hormones
Transfers
is original referral date kept for transfers?
Belfast KOI
KOI
https://belfasttrust.hscni.net/service/knowing-our-identity/Northern Ireland residents only
Cardiff
Welsh Gender Service
https://gender.wales/Wales GP only
Total
average minimum total time to hormones
Waits for hormone therapy prescribing will usually vary by which NHS Wales Health Board you are part of.
Edinburgh
Chalmers
https://www.lothiansexualhealth.scot/gender-identity-clinic/Borders, Fife, or Lothian GP only
Exeter
West of England
https://www.dpt.nhs.uk/our-services/gender-identityEngland GP only
Total
=105
average minimum total time to hormones
The service is currently focusing resources on people who have already had their first appointment, and while they are accepting new appointments, are not currently seeing patients for a first appointment and do not know when this will resume.
Glasgow
Sandyford
https://www.sandyford.scot/sexual-health-services/gender-dysphoria-service-at-sandyford/gender-adult-service/Scotland GP only
Glasgow Youth
Sandyford Youth
https://www.sandyford.scot/sexual-health-services/gender-dysphoria-service-at-sandyford/gender-young-people-service/Scotland GP only
Grampian
https://www.ngicns.scot.nhs.uk/gender-identity-clinics/Grampian, Orkney and Shetland GP only
Inverness
Highland GIS
https://www.highlandsexualhealth.co.uk/gender-identity/gender-identityHighland GP only
Hormones
months additional minimum wait for HRT
Total
average minimum total time to hormones
Transfers
is original referral date kept for transfers?
Leeds
https://www.leedsandyorkpft.nhs.uk/our-services/services-list/gender-identity-service/England GP only
Total
=73
average minimum total time to hormones
Transfers
is original referral date kept for transfers?
More detailed information about wait times is available on the Leeds GIS website.
London GIDS
Tavistock
https://gids.nhs.uk/Permanently closed
For referrals from Wales, the referring clinician will have to make a funding request to the local Health Board before making a referral.
London TransPlus
http://wearetransplus.co.uk/Very limited access: more info
First Seen
months average wait for 1st assessment appt
Hormones
months additional minimum wait for HRT
Total
average minimum total time to hormones
Transfers
is original referral date kept for transfers?
TransPlus have an in-house pharmacy, so prescriptions for hormones can be filled immediately.
Manchester
Indigo
https://www.indigogenderservice.uk/Very limited access: more info
This clinic accepts transfers from other clinics only. Wait times will vary.
Merseyside
CMAGIC
https://www.merseycare.nhs.uk/our-services/liverpool/sexual-health/cmagic-cheshire-and-merseyside-adult-gender-identity-collaborativeVery limited access: more info
This clinic accepts transfers from other clinics only. Wait times will vary.
NCTH EOE
https://www.nottinghamshirehealthcare.nhs.uk/east-of-england-gender-serviceEast of England only
This clinic accepts transfers from other clinics only. Wait times will vary.
Newcastle
https://www.cntw.nhs.uk/services/northern-region-gender-dysphoria-service-specialist-service-walkergate-park/England GP only
Total
=87
average minimum total time to hormones
NRGDS is not currently accepting referrals as of Aug 2023 (more information
Sussex
https://www.sussexpartnership.nhs.uk/our-services/specialist-services/sussex-gender-serviceVery limited access: more info
This clinic accepts transfers from other clinics only. Wait times will vary.
The Northern Hub
https://www.ardengemcsu.nhs.uk/services/clinical-support/national-referral-support-service-for-the-nhs-gender-incongruence-service-for-children-and-young-people/UK GP only
For referrals from Wales, the referring clinician will have to make a funding request to the local Health Board before making a referral.
The Southern Hub
https://www.ardengemcsu.nhs.uk/services/clinical-support/national-referral-support-service-for-the-nhs-gender-incongruence-service-for-children-and-young-people/UK GP only
For referrals from Wales, the referring clinician will have to make a funding request to the local Health Board before making a referral.
References
Errors and omissions
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