Not everyone who comes to us will be sure that they want treatment and we are happy to see people who wish to have support to explore issues to do with their gender.
People do not have to have any kind of diagnosis before coming to see us and do not need to have had psychotherapy or a psychiatric assessment before attending.
Whilst we are an adult service, we will take referrals for young people who have had their 17 birthday and the waiting time is the same for any adult being referred.
There is a service specifically commissioned for young people under the age of 18 years and information about the service can be found on this website https://gids.nhs.uk/. (The Tavistock Centre in London also has a base in Leeds and outreach clinics in Exeter and Cardiff).
We ask that refferal letters are written using the pronouns and name that the patient would prefer. While patients do not automatically see the letter, they have the right to request their notes. Seeing the wrong name and pronoun can be distressing to a trans person so we ask that you kindly use the correct information on advice from the patient.
If someone has a mental health diagnosis such as bipolar disorder or schizophrenia it does not mean that they cannot be seen. However, it is important that any symptoms are well managed before attending any appointments. Any drug or alcohol problem will also need to be managed prior to attending.
Smoking increases risks with hormone treatment, people seeking hormones should start to give up smoking now.
People who wish to see us should request a referral from their GP or other health professional. If a patient is referred by another NHS health professional, their GP needs to be informed and support the referral. Unfortunately, we can't accept self-referrals.
If you are a NHS health professional who would like to make a referral, please use our referral form:
You will require Microsoft Word to complete this referral form.
Please email referralsNCTH@nottshc.nhs.uk if you require this form in an alternative format.
The centre will send the patient a letter to confirm your referral has arrived and that they are on the waiting list. It can take several weeks for the initial letter to arrive with the patient.