Do You Need a Diagnosis for Gender HRT with Eden?
At a Glance
Eden New Life requires adults to complete a specialist assessment and receive a diagnosis before starting gender-affirming hormone therapy (GAHT), but clients do not need to arrive with an existing formal diagnosis. Eden’s internal diagnosis is included within its subscription pathway, while a separate formal diagnostic report is available as an optional PAYG service.
To better understand our diagnosis process, book your no-cost introductory chat today.
Do You Need a Gender Dysphoria Diagnosis to Start HRT?
Before starting gender-affirming hormone therapy (GAHT), one of the most common concerns we hear is: Do I need a gender dysphoria diagnosis to start HRT?
It’s quite natural to have questions about what you need before you can begin. And the answer is: It depends on the pathway you choose.
In the UK, GAHT is offered by the NHS and private providers, and the process has changed over the years to focus more on personalised, clinician-led care and shared decision-making.
At Eden New Life, the answer is yes. We believe you should be properly assessed and diagnosed by a qualified gender specialist before starting gender affirming hormones. GAHT is a life-changing medication that can result in significant and irreversible physical changes. It should follow a thorough assessment rather than simply being provided upon request.
But needing a diagnosis doesn’t mean you need one before signing up with us.
So before you take the next step of your gender journey, find out how Eden goes about gender dysphoria diagnoses and gender-affirming hormone therapy.
Why A Comprehensive Assessment Is Still Essential Before GAHT
Some UK gender care clinics and providers don’t require a formal diagnosis of gender dysphoria before starting GAHT. But starting gender hormones should never mean skipping appropriate clinical assessment.
So if a gender clinic or provider is willing to provide hormones without carrying out a detailed assessment, we recommend you ask questions about how they determine whether gender HRT is suitable and safe for you.
As your gender healthcare provider, Eden New Life’s specialists will carry out a comprehensive medical assessment with you before starting treatment. This takes 4-7 weeks and usually covers:
A comprehensive review of your current health and medical history
An in-depth discussion about your gender identity, experiences and treatment goals
An understanding of hormone therapy and its long-term effects
An assessment of any medical conditions (such as high blood pressure and diabetes) that may need additional monitoring or could influence GAHT
Arranging baseline blood tests that ensure treatment can be prescribed safely
Your suitability to progress with GAHT
These assessments allow us to ensure gender HRT is right for you and that you have all the information you need before taking the next step. Only after completing these steps do we move to the GAHT (Hormones) prescription session.
For your convenience, we include gender dysphoria diagnosis within our subscription pathway. So you can approach us without an existing, formal gender dysphoria diagnosis and instead complete the assessment as part of your journey with our independent UK gender care experts.
You’ll start with a detailed 60-minute online intake session followed by a 30-minute online diagnostic session with our independent specialist after subscribing to one of our plans.
What is Eden’s Diagnosis Session?
The diagnosis session follows the intake process. During this online session, our independent UK gender specialists conduct a thorough assessment to determine whether there is a clinical basis for your care.
The specialist (such as a specially trained GP or psychologist) prepares an internal diagnostic report that records their assessment and whether you are suitable to progress through Eden’s gender-affirming care pathway. This report is for Eden’s internal clinical purposes and not a formal report for you to use elsewhere.
The cost for this diagnosis is already included in your subscription plan. There is no additional diagnosis charge.
Eden’s PAYG Formal Diagnosis Report Session
If you require a formal diagnostic report for external use, it needs additional professional time and documentation from the gender experts. We offer it as a PAYG service called PAYG Formal Diagnosis Report Session. It offers a detailed report (medical letter) that outlines your medical and gender history and states that you meet the criteria for both gender dysphoria and gender incongruence, covering ICD 11 and DSM 5. You can use this as evidence for another health professional or for your own reference.
You don’t need to purchase a formal diagnostic report to start GAHT with us.
What If I Already Have a Gender Dysphoria Diagnosis?
You can still approach us if you have previously received a gender dysphoria diagnosis. Some clients come to us with diagnostic reports from other UK providers or overseas clinicians.
Our specialists can review this documentation, but it cannot replace our diagnostic process. This is because clinical documentation produced overseas can use different clinical standards, terminology and assessment processes than those in the UK. Our clinicians need to study these reports carefully to confirm they have an appropriate clinical basis for providing your care.
What Is Hormone Therapy for Gender Dysphoria?
Understanding what hormone therapy is remains a critical part of deciding whether GAHT is right for you.
Hormone therapy for gender dysphoria is also known as gender affirming hormone therapy or gender affirming HRT. It involves using hormones to help the body develop physical characteristics that align with a person’s gender identity. These physical changes can significantly reduce gender dysphoria and improve overall well-being in many transgender and gender-diverse individuals.
Treatment depends on your gender identity goals. For transmasculine individuals, gender HRT uses testosterone, while for transfeminine individuals, the primary hormone used is oestrogen.
Hormone therapy for gender dysphoria can produce changes, but it does not alter every aspect of the body. Results vary from person to person and depend on age, genetics, and other factors.
How to Start Gender Affirming Hormone Therapy with Eden
The GAHT process differs between providers, but here’s what Eden offers through its online private gender care:
Subscribe: Choose one of our Eden subscription plans.
Intake (Initial Consultation): Discuss your gender identity and experiences, transition goals, medical history, current medications, family history and lifestyle factors.
Diagnosis session: In this session, you can talk to our gender specialist online and ask as many questions as you want. You can discuss your goals in detail, review appropriate options and agree on next steps.
Blood tests: Before starting hormones, our specialists will require a comprehensive blood test. We also require follow-up blood tests at regular intervals in your journey, including before every 12-week session and every annual review session.
GAHT Hormone prescription session: Here, you will connect with a prescriber for guidance on suitable GAHT hormone medication. Once the prescription is issued, we send your e-prescription to our pharmacy partner, who dispenses the medication and then delivers it to your doorstep via a next-day courier service.
Training session: A 20-minute testosterone injection training session with a nurse, if required.
Follow-up/Review sessions: Thirty-minute sessions with an independent UK
specialist every 12 weeks, depending on your subscription plan.
Our Hormone Advisory and Hormone Advisory Plus plans follow this process. However, our Hormone Advisory Established plan (invite-only) is for people whose hormone levels are well-established and require less frequent monitoring.
What Age Can You Start Hormone Therapy in the UK?
This is another common question many people ask us.
The pathways differ for under-18s and those over 18 (adults). At the moment, NHS England has paused new prescriptions of gender affirming hormones for children and young people under 18.
Adults aged 18 and over may be able to start hormone therapy following a clinical assessment, where a suitably qualified healthcare professional determines whether treatment is appropriate.
Eden New Life treats only transgender, intersex and non-binary adults aged 18 and above across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Can My Doctor Refuse to Give Me HRT?
A doctor can’t refuse treatment just because someone is transgender. However, they may decide not to prescribe gender affirming hormone therapy if they believe it would not be safe or appropriate given the circumstances.
If so, it’s important that they explain their reasoning and, where appropriate, refer you to a clinician or service provider with relevant expertise or experience.
Some general physicians or GPs may choose not to prescribe hormones under a shared care arrangement with another provider. While many GPs support shared gender care, their participation is completely voluntary.
Start Gender HRT with Eden New Life without Arranging a Prior Diagnosis
At Eden New Life, we believe appropriate, clinician-backed assessment is essential to gender-affirming healthcare. But it shouldn't be a roadblock to joining us. You can start with our gender care without a prior diagnosis.
The diagnostic assessment needed for your gender care journey with us is included in our subscription plans. You don’t need to spend hundreds of pounds on a standalone formal diagnosis to access hormone treatment with us.
When you choose Eden New Life as your gender healthcare provider, you gain:
Access to online, private gender affirming care options
Structured intake and diagnosis pathway
Access to specialists with relevant experience in gender care for transgender, intersex and non-binary adults
Access to blood tests and regular reviews
An online portal to manage your subscription and appointments
Whether you have the diagnostic documentation or not, either way and after due consideration, you can begin your gender HRT journey with Eden. Book your introductory chat today.
