At Transcend across Cheshire and Merseyside, we offer all the services expected from an NHS gender identity clinic, as outlined in the NHS England Service Specification. We believe trans and non-binary people are the experts of their own experiences, but the best outcomes will be through application of best evidence and practice. This is why our services are developed for trans communities based on the best practice for our population.
We accept referrals from your GP or any NHS healthcare professional. We also accept self-referrals, which can be made using the referral form below.
Please ensure you meet the following criteria:
- Are aged 17 years or above
- Live in Cheshire and Merseyside
- Are not on another Gender Identity Clinic (GIC) waiting list
Download a copy of our Transcend referral form.
For any GP’s wishing to refer, please complete the same referral form and send via email. We are in the process of creating a pathway for direct referrals via EMIS. The website will be updated when we are able to take GP referrals via EMIS.
Risk management
- A number of studies suggest that people who identify as transgender are at higher risk of depression, self-harm, substance misuse, suicidal thoughts and ideation
- We advise that patients should approach their GP if their physical or mental health deteriorates
- We advise GPs to monitor physical and mental health, and make local referrals as appropriate
- We will offer advice at the GP's request on any health problem related to our patients' gender concerns
- Transcend does not provide urgent or emergency advice to patients. Should patients require urgent or emergency advice, they should contact local primary care or emergency services. They can also visit www.merseycare.nhs.uk/urgent-help
Further information and practical guidance for GPs is available at BAGIS
The Transcend Gender Service is aware of the publication of the Levy Review into adult gender services and the implications this may have for the future commissioning and delivery of care.
At present, Transcend is awaiting formal guidance and direction from NHS England, which will be communicated through the NHS Gender Programme Group. Until this process is complete and further clarification is provided, there are no immediate changes to the operation of the Transcend Gender Service.
We recognise that this period of uncertainty may be concerning for patients and those awaiting support. We would like to reassure service users that we are closely monitoring developments and are actively engaging with national partners to understand the implications of the review.
Further updates will be published on this website as soon as more information becomes available from NHS England.
Please see links for further information:
We know that recent guidance from the Equality and Human Rights Commission has prompted questions and, for some of you, real worry about what it might mean for the spaces you use when you come to see us. We want to address this directly.
Our facilities at Transcend have gender-neutral toilet facilities, and that is not changing. You can continue to use the facilities at Transcend with the same privacy, dignity, and safety you always have. We have reviewed the EHRC guidance carefully and are satisfied that our current arrangements remain appropriate for our service and the people we care for. We have no plans to alter them.
Transcend exists because our patients deserve healthcare delivered with respect and without barriers. The environment we create at our sites is part of that care, not separate from it. If anything about your visit ever feels otherwise, please tell us, speak to a member of the team, or contact us. We take that feedback seriously. There is no place in our organisation for discrimination or harassment
Thank you for your trust in us. We remain committed to providing a service where every patient feels welcome, safe, and seen.
With warm regards, Dr Christine Mimnagh Clinical Lead Transcend