Your Referral and Appointment

Referral Process

You can access the Welsh Gender Service (WGS) if you are over 18, live in Wales and are registered with a Welsh GP; you should ask your GP to make an electronic referral. If they are not sure how to do this they can contact us and we’ll help them with the process.

We can accept referrals for patients who are aged 17 and over; but you and your GP should understand that you will not become a patient of the WGS until you have turned 18, and responsibility will remain with your GP until that point.

Patients who are under 17 who wish to access gender services should ask their GP for a referral to CAMHS in the first instance.

As of 1st February 2025 the current waiting time for a first gender appointment is 20 months;
we are currently booking patients who were referred to us in June 2023.

Getting and Changing Your Appointment

After your referral has been accepted, you will be sent a letter to say that you’ve joined the Welsh Gender Service waiting list. Please contact our booking team if the details on this are incorrect or if they change so that you don’t miss future communications from us.
When an appointment becomes available you will be sent a letter with an invitation – this will be a face-to-face or virtual appointment depending on where you live. If the appointment time (or type) isn’t suitable for you, please contact our booking team to change or cancel it.
You will get text reminders at 10 days and 2 days before your appointment. There is still time to cancel or change your appointment when you get these if you can’t make it so please do contact us so that it can be offered to someone else. You will be offered a video or a face-to-face appointment – if you would prefer the alternative, please let us know.
First appointments are usually 60 to 90 minutes long, and will allow the clinician to understand your medical history, make a diagnosis if it’s appropriate, and decide next steps with you.

On the Day – Virtual/Video

We currently use the “T-Pro” platform for video consultations. You are welcome to have someone with you on the video call with you for support but please tell the clinician that they are there. We ask that you enter the virtual waiting area 15 minutes before your scheduled appointment time, and remain in the waiting room for 15 minutes after the start of your consultation room in case the clinician’s previous appointment is running over.

On the Day – Face to Face (Cardiff)

For face-to-face appointments held at St. David’s Hospital in Cardiff, information about how to get here is found here including how to register your car to avoid a parking fine. When you arrive at the hospital, please follow signs around the outside of the building to “The Cardiff Clinic”, come through our garden with artwork from Flatboy (aka Seren) and ring the bell for access to our dedicated waiting room.

We have a video walkthrough of the department showing you what it will look like. You may be given information to read or forms to complete while you wait and there are also books and leaflets that you can browse through. We also have gender neutral toilet and changing facilities.

You are welcome to bring someone with you who can then either wait in the waiting room or come into the consultation with you.

On the Day – Face to Face (Panton GP Surgery, Holywell)

Face-to-face appointments in North Wales are held in the premises of Panton GP Surgery in Holywell, Flintshire. Information about how to get here is found here.