17/12/2024
NHS England have launched a survey for adults who are using an NHS England gender clinic or have in the past 5 years. Given recent experiences with consultations, it could be tempting not to engage. But we do we encourage trans adults in England to take part (reasons below).
buff.ly/49MvHp1
As well as the Trans Lives 2024/25 Survey, there's another survey for trans people that's just been launched.
It's survey from NHS England for adults who are currently under the care of a gender clinic in England, or who have been under the care of one in the past 5 years. And, weirdly, their friends and family members too.
Given our experiences with consultations and surveys in the past few years, it would be tempting not to engage with the survey. However, members of our board have taken part in the survey and we encourage trans adults in England, your friends and family members to do so too.
You'll find the survey at https://buff.ly/49MvHp1
Our reasoning for this:
If we and you, and our friends and family don’t respond to the survey, the only people completing it will be those campaigning to take our care away. If the data only shows the views of the tiny minority of people that regret transitioning, or of friends and family members who would have stopped the trans person in their lives from transitioning if they could, then the report into the survey will definitely be used to restrict our access to care.
If, however, we do take part in the survey, our views will be collected. This data, the data that represents the experiences of most trans people, will have to be included somewhere in the survey report. So, even if the report is flawed or its findings ignored, we will at least be able to highlight that. And if we are actually listened to, there is a chance that our experiences could influence improvements to NHS transition-related care. That’s a big ‘if’ and a big ‘could’, but we know that if we don’t take part in the survey, our views will definitely not be heard and our experiences will definitely not impact care.
For TransActual, the risks associated with not taking part in the survey are far higher than trans people spending 20 minutes of their time to complete the survey.
For more on our views on the survey, go to: https://buff.ly/3OU6U90