Published: 25 September, 2020
Indigo Gender Service is a partnership between gtd healthcare, a not-for-profit organisation with an established presence of primary care and urgent care services in the north-west, and LGBT Foundation, a national charity delivering services, advice and information for lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans communities.
The announcement is the culmination of several years of work to develop an improved model of care which is local, timely, and easier to access.
We know that trans and non-binary people are the experts of their own experience, and that is why this service has been developed by and for trans communities. Our services are trans led, with trans and non-binary people guiding and feeding into them at all levels.
Nico, Indigo Gender Service coproduction group member, said having a service designed and run by trans and non-binary people is significant.
“For many in the community, this is an unbelievable idea,” they said. “This is what makes this service so exciting. To be able to seek support and be accepted at their word, rather than policed. I am proud to be a part of the group of trans and non-binary people who have been consulted since day one."
“For many in the community, this is an unbelievable idea,” they said.
“This is what makes this service so exciting. To be able to seek support and be accepted at their word, rather than policed. I am proud to be a part of the group of trans and non-binary people who have been consulted since day one."
Our service will offer trans and non-binary people different ways to access support services, including assessment and diagnosis for gender incongruence. This includes holistic assessments of an individual’s needs and will offer referrals and signposting to other services.
Our support is person centred – we recognise that there are as many ways to be trans and non-binary as there are trans and non-binary people in the world and we tailor our support to meet each person’s individual needs. A team of care navigators with lived experience will work with service users to help them to get the most out of the service and enable them to connect with local organisations across Greater Manchester.
Dr Luke Wookey, Indigo Gender Service’s clinical lead, said he is delighted to be leading on a service, which will embrace and transform care for trans and non-binary communities across Greater Manchester.
“We can’t underestimate the importance of Indigo Gender Service and its potential to have a positive impact on the lives of hundreds of trans and non-binary people,” he said. “This is a hugely exciting time and an opportunity to enhance people's experience and inclusivity within primary care. “Indigo Gender Service is long-awaited. Trans and non-binary communities deserve, as a minimum, to receive care that is closer to home and in a timely manner. “Fundamentally, the pilot recognises the important role that primary care can play in delivering trans and non-binary healthcare in an unique and collaborative way and I am delighted to be part of committed team to drive forward this fantastic service.”
“We can’t underestimate the importance of Indigo Gender Service and its potential to have a positive impact on the lives of hundreds of trans and non-binary people,” he said.
“This is a hugely exciting time and an opportunity to enhance people's experience and inclusivity within primary care.
“Indigo Gender Service is long-awaited. Trans and non-binary communities deserve, as a minimum, to receive care that is closer to home and in a timely manner.
“Fundamentally, the pilot recognises the important role that primary care can play in delivering trans and non-binary healthcare in an unique and collaborative way and I am delighted to be part of committed team to drive forward this fantastic service.”
We want to make sure that care is safe, inclusive and affirmative. We will do this by supporting trans and non-binary people to be well informed about their choices by sharing knowledge, explaining options, promoting health, and trusting people to make decisions that are right for them.
We’re taking a multidisciplinary approach to care, bringing together knowledge and expertise from different fields and backgrounds to ensure our service delivers the highest quality care to trans communities. Indigo Gender Service will be staffed by an experienced primary care team from the Greater Manchester healthcare system and will also receive clinical support from the gender identity clinic at Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.
Indigo Gender Service is planned to open later this year. The service will initially focus on supporting people who are on a waiting list for a gender identity clinic appointment, are already registered with a GP in Greater Manchester and are eligible for NHS treatment.
If you have any questions about this service, including eligibility and how to access, check out our FAQs below. We will be announcing further details on Indigo Gender Service in due course.
Please see answers to our FAQ'S here.
