Transgender patients are threatening legal action against the NHS after delays left them with “half-built” penises.
Some remain “in limbo” between surgeries, leaving them with “indeterminate genitalia,” while others are still waiting to undergo their first operation.
Patients say this has caused them physical and psychological distress and has affected their work and personal lives.
Issues with the treatment arose after NHS England commissioned St Peter’s Andrology Centre, a private clinic in London, to perform the surgery but did not renew the contract when it expired at the end of March 2020.
A new provider, London’s New Victoria Hospital, was not appointed until September 2021.
Law firm Leigh Day has sent a letter to NHS England and St Peter’s, claiming their failures caused commissioning agreements to collapse and contributed to delays.
Transgender patients threaten legal action against NHS after delays left them with ‘half-built’ penises (File Image)
One patient, Matthew (not his real name), said: ‘I have been living with incomplete penile reconstruction for three years. This continues to have a huge negative impact on my mental health’ (File image)
He said there are thousands of people on the waiting list for masculinizing surgery. Many of them accepted the first stage of their surgeries before 2020 without being informed of the long wait times and are still waiting to finish their treatment.
Others have not yet received a referral to see a surgical consultant, or have been referred but not added to the waiting list. The law firm represents 16 people over treatment delays. One patient, Matthew (not his real name), said: ‘I have been living with incomplete penile reconstruction for three years. This continues to have a huge negative impact on my mental health.
‘My confidence has disappeared. I haven’t been able to socialize like before, travel or get a new job. Now I find it difficult to trust people.
“I have been greatly affected by stress, which has resulted in other collateral health problems, such as anxiety, depression, insomnia, hair loss and suicidal thoughts.”
Surgeries, including metoidioplasty (hysterectomy and genital reconstruction) and phalloplasty (the creation of a penis from existing genital tissue or skin grafts), are available for trans men who were born female. They are complex procedures that often require three stages of surgery.
St Peter’s website said there would normally be a wait of at least three months between surgeries and patients were told they could wait six to 12 months between procedures, according to Leigh Day. Patients now face delays of up to three or four years, the law firm claims.
Patients could be entitled to compensation worth tens of thousands of pounds each, says Leigh Day (File Image)
They have also now been told that New Victoria Hospital will perform the second stage of metoidioplasty surgery in two procedures instead of one. Then they face another procedure that they did not expect or consent to before.
The hospital is also reportedly not accepting new surgical referrals.
Patients could be entitled to compensation worth tens of thousands of pounds each, says Leigh Day.
The company wants to “hold those responsible accountable and prevent errors of this type from being repeated.”
Solicitor Kate Egerton said: ‘Staying between surgeries or before procedures begin has created intense physical and emotional upheaval for our clients facing increased gender dysphoria, precisely what the surgeries were supposed to mitigate.
“The defendants have been negligent in performing the surgeries and have violated the human rights of our clients.”
Chay Brown, of campaign group TransActual, said: “Those on the list have been in limbo for too long.” Not only has their physical and mental health been affected, but also their careers, life plans and personal relationships.’
A spokesperson for NHS England said: “This is a potential ongoing legal matter and we are therefore unable to comment at this time.”