Lack of services (and the long wait)

We saw Max's GP on Tuesday to get the referral to the psychiatrist today to start the first move towards getting T for Max. We have decided to go privately, as the wait to go through the gender clinic is too unknown. Max's GP (who has a few tranmen patients) said that he has patients currently, who have written the required essay to the gender clinic and that have been waiting moths to even hear a response. We also found out that there is only one endocrinologist in Victoria working with FTMs (and his bed side manner is questionable) and one surger that does top surgery (breast tissue removal and chest reconstruction). Well we did get the referral to the psychiatrist privately. This psychiatrist is the current director of the Melbourne Gender Centre Clinic. As soon as we got to the car we rang up to get an appointment, as Max is really wanting to start the transition. Unfortunately the secretary said that his book were CLOSED as was not taking on any more patients. Max had not said what the referral was about and the secretary was telling Max to see another psychiatrist. I kept trying to get Max's attention so I could tell him what to say, because I know that we cannot just go and see any other psychiatrist. I was able to get his attention and aks the secretaty to hold. I tild him that he needs to say it is about gender issues. Finally the secretary realised and said that she will talk to the psychiatist and call us back tomorrow. This phone call actually upset us quite a bit. How can there be only ONE psychiatrist in Victoria that is the 'gate keeper' to T and not have any appointments available for people with gender issues? Many people with other needs can see a variety of psychiatrists, but people trying to correct their gender don't even have access to the only ONE. We are also amazed that there is only ONE endo and ONE surgeon too, to treat FTMs in Victoria - surely there is a greater need? Also the need can be quite urgent. So here we are sitting in the car and not having a clue when we get to see someone who can help.

One thing that we did have that day to look forward to was that Max was going to Births, Deaths and Marriages to officially change his name. I was really thrilled that he picked his middle name to be Butch. On Friday he picked up his new birth certificate and his new name is now official.

On Wednesday the psychiatrist did not actually ring back. Max had too. The psychiatrist told Max that he will not be able to have an appointment to eatly May. Max asked if there was another one that he could see, and the psychiatrist replied that there was another one, but that this psychiatrist would need the firts one's second opinion any way. Max did get the other one's number and called him up. The second psychiatrist did not have an appointment until the end of April and he re-enforced that Max would have to see the first one too. Max decided just to wait tuntil May. This is really frustrating. We knew that we would have to eait for a few weeks to see the psychiatrist and then have a few sessions before a script for T is given, we just did not anticipate a few months wait for this. This kind of blew out time line out. not that we have worked one out, but we were getting ready to tell more people including family. At least it has given us more time before we have to tell family so we can think about it more.

Due to the suicide rates for trans* being 47 times higher than the average rate, I really thought that there would be more services avaiable and a shorter wait time. I really thought that if were THE (ONLY) psychiatrist in Victoria that diagnosed and treated trans* that you would put away a slot (15 to 30 minutes) per week or fortnight away for these cases, as they are generally urgent by the time the person has realised that they are trans* and need to see/speak to a psychiatrist (the gate keeper to the services). It would be the responsible thing to do. It is not like the psychiatrist (during the private practice days) could afford to blank out one 15 minute appointment slot once a fortnight!