Bridge at Southwark Primary Care Clinic

 

For the Trans, Non-Binary and Intersex community

1st Tuesday evening of the month run in association with CliniQ

transflag heart in a hand

Would you like to access Primary Care GP, Nurse and Healthcare Assistant appointments in a service tailored to the Trans, Non-Binary, Intersex and Gender non-conforming community? 

Bridge at Southwark run a monthly clinic in South Southwark accessible by emailing ih.bridgeatsouthwark@nhs.net

Please note we will be accessing the registered GP record and will be entering consultation notes into your registered GP record ensuring continuity of care. 

non binary pride flag

The Best of Primary Care

We offer the same services you can access at your registered GP in an inclusive environment by a friendly team most of whom are part of the LGBTQIA+ community.

Support with Gender Affirming Treatments

  • Referral to a Gender Identity Clinic
  • Prescribing in line with Shared Care Agreements from NHS GICs if service user prefers to access via the Bridge Clinic rather than via their registered GP
  • Consideration of Bridging Prescriptions in line with GMC Guidance 
  • Support with GP records alteration of name / prefix / gender marker
  • Cervical screening of trans masc and NB people

Routine GP Care 

Including: 

  • Referrals to all services provided by your usual GP
  • Contraception
  • Health Checks
  • Chronic disease checks (eg asthma, hypertension, diabetes)
  • Health and wellbeing referrals where eligible
  • Talking Therapy signposting
  • Mental health support

Please Note

We do not offer an emergency / urgent service. Please contact 111 or your usual GP for any urgent care

How to self-refer into the Bridge?

Email ih.bridgeatsouthwark@nhs.net with your details. Please include your:

  • Date of Birth
  • NHS Number
  • GP Practice (from the list above)
  • A brief description of why you'd like to see us

What does The Bridge provide?

The Bridge provides routine and gender affirming care (including bridging hormones) to transgender, non-binary and gender diverse folk.

We are a safe and trans affirming space.

What happens after a referral to Bridge

  • Our nurse will book you in with the appropriate person.
  • The wait for a first appointment may be a few months long
  • You can see us as many times as you want or need

Please Note

You must be registered at a Lambeth GP Practice for Bridge at Lambeth

What Bridge Clinic Offers

Gender related care

  • Bridging prescriptions
  • Bloods monitoring
  • Signposting to trans specific services
  • A safe, trans inclusive space

Routine GP care

  • Routine GP appointments
  • Health checks
  • Cervical screening
  • Long term condition reviews

Ongoing appointments

If you receive bridging prescriptions from The Bridge, you'll need to have blood monitoring and reviews. This is to check the dose is safe and effective for you. 

You'll need these bloods and review after:

  • 3 months
  • 6 months
  • Every 12 months
 

Step 1

Email ih.bridgeatsouthwark@nhs.net to book in face to face or telephone review. Include in your email which review you are due for. Make sure to give plenty of notice for this as appointments get booked up quickly.

 

Step 2

Pick up blood test form from your GP.

 

Step 3

Get bloods done at your nearest blood test centre (check the blood test from for more information). Results take a week to come, please ensure blood test done with enough time before appointment.

 

Step 4

Attend for review. New prescriptions will be given once the review completed.

Bridging prescriptions

Your first appointment will be with the GP. The GP will take a thorough history asking about your gender, your medical conditions, medications, family history and more.

They will want to check your weight and blood pressure and may ask some questions related to your sexual history and current / future fertility plans.

They may requets some blood tests.

Prescriptions are not usually issued on the first appointment, as this appointment is more about 'getting to know you' and ensuring that we can prescribe safely.

To be able to prescribe bridging hormones, you need to be referred to the Gender Identity Clinic. If this has not been done before, your GP at The Bridge can complete the referral for you. 

Other support

Here are some of the other services who can support you:

  • Lambeth Links: The LGBTQIA+ community forum for Lambeth. 
  • MIND: A well established and highly regarded mental health charity in South East London.
  • CliniQ: A trans-led sexual health service in London.
  • Spectra: Free sexual health and well-being services across London.
  • Transactual: Working towards a world where trans people can live safely, in dignity and with access to the healthcare that they need.
  • Gendered Intelligence: Expanding understandings of gender to improve trans lives.
  • LGBT Consortium: The largest network of LGBT+ groups and organisations in the UK.