"We are incredibly proud to be providing an NHS service that is making a positive difference to the lives of trans and non-binary people across Greater Manchester.
"Indigo Gender Service (Indigo) is a pilot scheme with the aim of supporting adults with gender dysphoria. With the number of referrals to gender identity clinics rising significantly in recent years, this pilot will look at how experienced primary care clinicians can provide the best care for trans and non-binary people.”
Indigo is a passionate team of trans, non-binary and LGBQ practitioners and allies who are hugely excited and enthusiastic about delivering an innovative trans healthcare service for the people of Greater Manchester.
Trans and non-binary people are at the heart of Indigo. This is why providing a service where we are leading the way in transforming patient care and impacting positively on their experience - whatever their journey may be, is what we strive to deliver every single day.
Meg Lightheart, Indigo Gender Service manager, echoes these sentiments and says the fantastic feedback received via the patients is testament to the wonderful service we are providing.
“We cannot underestimate the importance and benefits of delivering a much-needed NHS service that is delivered by a team with lived experience and a broad range of expertise in this field, she said.
“Bringing all of these key components together ensures that patients really are in the best and most capable hands, are treated with dignity and respect, and we look at each person individually, holistically and with the clinical expertise that they deserve.
“The multidisciplinary team – from GPs, nurses, voice and communication therapy, care navigators, talking therapies – strives to provide a service that is aiming for trans healthcare to be of the highest quality and delivered in the safest way possible – which is exactly what Indigo is achieving.
“We measure Indigo’s success in a number of ways, but first and foremost, is the feedback we are receiving from the people who are accessing the service and are experiencing first-hand the life-changing and positive outcomes they are encountering from the service. This is irreplaceable and we should be celebrating all that we are achieving collectively – in such a short space of time.”
Dr Luke Wookey, Indigo Gender Service’s clinical lead, who has an in-depth knowledge and expertise in trans healthcare, said there is no doubt about it – Indigo is transforming trans healthcare for people across Greater Manchester.
“I am privileged to be leading the clinical team to deliver care that is responsive and personalised to each and every patient,” he said.
“First and foremost, when I am seeing patients, making sure they are well informed about their choices, the options available to them and building on their trust is paramount. Feedback we have received to date demonstrates how we are exceeding expectations in so many ways, which amplifies the extent of the positive impact the service is having on people’s lives and fundamentally, transforming their experience of receiving trans healthcare.”
A snapshot of the feedback received to date is available below.
“I had my first appointment with Indigo and met with the care navigator and the doctor. The doctor talked me through what was going to happen and gave me plenty of opportunities to ask questions. I was free to discuss any aspect of transitioning but wasn't put under pressure or made to feel uncomfortable if I didn't want to. The whole experience has been a great benefit to me and I am looking forward to working with Indigo in the future.”
“Outstanding service!! Everything's gone really smoothly. Amazing!!”
“It’s just been fantastic from the onset. Everything was seamless. The staff are understanding, polite and professional - just can’t praise highly enough.”
“IAn incredibly empathetic and affirming service. I feel humanised and am given time and space to process my options and responses in a way I have never seen in a medical setting before. Each appointment feels healing and I can feel my trust growing. Thank you for your incredible work.”
“The whole experience has been very comfortable informative and at a pace compatible to my needs. The transition is a major part of why this experience will stay with me forever but it has been greatly heightened by the wonderful support from the care navigator and doctor. I also hope to be part of the Indigo community in the future .
“Everyone is wonderful and understanding, it's really nice to be able to talk about myself honestly. Thank you so much everyone.”
“Just wanted to make sure that all the staff at Indigo appreciate how valuable this new service is, and the excellent work you're doing. In the past six months I've gone from not knowing how much longer the waiting list would take under another service (after waiting for several years), to starting hormones within months. This is such a huge deal after waiting elsewhere for so long; I honestly cannot thank the staff at Indigo enough!”
“It was the most friendly, relaxed, straight-forward medical appointment I’ve ever had. It was just very...chill, unconcerned, un-shocked, uneventful. There was no weird doctor-patient dynamic; no weird fascination/fetishisation; no interrogation or tests; no ignorant questions; no weird bio-essentialisms or mis-gendering; no conditionality; no hoops; and no trans 101 needed. I could go on, but essentially it was just a person talking to a person.”
Meg concluded: “We are team Indigo and we are proud!”