Trans people ‘increasingly heading abroad’ for gender surgery due to ‘horrific’ NHS waiting lists
Trans patients forced abroad for surgery as NHS waitlists hit 20 years
- Trans people are increasingly travelling abroad for gender reassignment surgery (GRS) due to lengthy NHS waiting lists, which can extend up to 20 years for treatment.
- Countries like Thailand offer more cost-effective and quicker GRS appointments, with advanced techniques, leading many to use their savings for treatment overseas.
- Despite the appeal, travelling abroad carries risks, with some people experiencing severe complications and difficult recoveries.
- Charities warn that the inaccessibility of NHS care negatively impacts patients' mental health, with some resorting to self-sourcing hormones or, in extreme cases, taking their own lives.
- The NHS is not obligated to provide routine follow-up or corrective surgery for privately funded procedures undertaken overseas.