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Case ref:201204932
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Date:August 2013
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Body:A Medical Practice in the Lothian NHS Board area
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Sector:Health
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Outcome:Not upheld, no recommendations
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Subject:clinical treatment / diagnosis
Summary
Ms C was undergoing private treatment, including hormone therapy, as a transgender individual suffering from gender dysphoria (a condition in which a person feels that there is a mismatch between their biological sex and their gender identity). Her private medical provider was treating her with Zoladex (a hormonal therapy) but her NHS medical practice was not prepared to prescribe this for her, as it is only licensed in the UK for prostate cancer treatment. Ms C felt that she was being discriminated against.
After taking independent advice from one of our medical advisers, who is a GP, we did not uphold the complaint. We found that that the practice had acted appropriately and in line with General Medical Council guidelines in refusing to prescribe a drug they were not familiar with and that they did not feel competent to administer or monitor.