Transsexual's fight for implants lands taxpayer with £18,000 bill

[-:Undertaker:-]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/ar...er-18-000.html

Transsexual's fight for implants lands taxpayer with £18,000 bill

A transsexual has won the right to have £8,000 breast implants – following a battle funded by £10,000 of legal aid. Miranda Lee, 40, had gender realignment surgery costing £60,000 in 2009, paid for with NHS money. The process was due to be completed with the breast augmentation, but she was then told the money would not be made available. Miss Lee, who complained that she had been left ‘half man, half woman’, attempted suicide and has been on anti-depressants. She decided to fight the decision and was granted legal aid in June.

Her case was heard by an NHS review panel last month, and it has now ruled in her favour. The charity shop worker, from Southend, Essex, said she was delighted at the U-turn but wanted compensation for the stress of her ‘inhumane and insensitive’ treatment. ‘The way my case was handled was appalling,’ she said. ‘These people haven’t a care in the world about people. It’s all about money to them.’ Miss Lee, born Raymond Harwood, first felt she was the wrong sex when she was 16 but went on to marry three times and have two children.

Her last marriage ended in 2000 and in 2005 she went to her GP about gender realignment. She began living as a woman in 2007 and had a series of operations at Charing Cross Hospital in London from July 2009, including having her male genitalia removed and her voice altered. She was already receiving hormone therapy in the form of oestrogen to help her develop breasts but this was not working, meaning she needed implants.

This is absolutely ridiculous, paying for this man to grossly disfigure himself to satisfy some sort of mental issue he must have - if he wants to cut, change or chop his bits off then let him at his own expense and not at the taxpayers expense thank you very much. And even if you do agree with sex changes, they should be done private and not on the nose of the taxpayer.

The NHS drugs/treatments panel, ironically called NICE has sent many people away who are dying having refused them life extending drugs/treatments on the grounds of costs.. yet we have ridiculous scenarios such as this one.

So we'll pay for this and deny cancer treatment - disgusting.

Thoughts?

[HotelUser]

It's not her fault and it's a real disorder. If she's miserable as she was (and she seems to be because they say they were left half man and woman) and this surgery helped fix her disorder than I don't mind.

[-:Undertaker:-]

It's not her fault and it's a real disorder. If she's miserable as she was (and she seems to be because they say they were left half man and woman) and this surgery helped fix her disorder than I don't mind.

So does this apply to all flat-chested women aswell then? why should we pay for somebody to enchance/fiddle around with their body parts when people are dying having been denied cancer treatments on the NHS? would you mind if somebody who was terminally ill in your family was denied life-extending drugs on the grounds of cost while people are having breast implants put in due to 'depression'? (which is a very vague term)

I somehow don't think you would.

[Technologic]

The ethics of medicine seem to be something you really dont understand

[Catzsy]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/ar...er-18-000.html

Transsexual's fight for implants lands taxpayer with £18,000 bill

This is absolutely ridiculous, paying for this man to grossly disfigure himself to satisfy some sort of mental issue he must have - if he wants to cut, change or chop his bits off then let him at his own expense and not at the taxpayers expense thank you very much. And even if you do agree with sex changes, they should be done private and not on the nose of the taxpayer.

The NHS drugs/treatments panel, ironically called NICE has sent many people away who are dying having refused them life extending drugs/treatments on the grounds of costs.. yet we have ridiculous scenarios such as this one.

So we'll pay for this and deny cancer treatment - disgusting.

Thoughts?

I am assuming Dan, the part is bold you are referring to her attempt at suicide rather than the fact she is mental?

As far as the article goes if someone was physically disfigured then they would get help on the NHS. It follows on then that if it is is proven that there is a necessary need for these operations by doctors and consultants then it should be paid as well.

[Suspective]

Absolutely disgraceful.

The money the NHS wasted, on this man's implants could of been spent on somebody's lifesaving cancer treatment. There is always stories, about victims of cancer who are denied the right to life saving drugs. Now we know where all the money is being wasted, on some man's cosmetic surgery.

So guys... if you live in Essex, and somebody you know has cancer and is denied access to life saving drugs. You know where the money's been wasted

[-:Undertaker:-]

The ethics of medicine seem to be something you really dont understand

So let me put this to you as cases like this will most probably exist; i'm genuinely depressed because I think i'm ugly and I want to look like Zac Efron, i've attempted suicide numerous times - do you think I should be given cosmetic surgery to quell my 'depression'? or on the other hand and taking the more common sense approach, should I instead be given metal help to combat these problems?

The ethics of common sense and reality are something you are lacking in.

I am assuming Dan, the part is bold you are referring to her attempt at suicide rather than the fact she is mental?

As far as the article goes if someone was physically disfigured then they would get help on the NHS. It follows on then that if it is is proven that there is a necessary need for these operations by doctors and consultants then it should be paid as well.

The part in bold is my opinion (and its scientific fact) that its impossible to change your sexual identity just as it would be impossible for me to change my real hair colour from black to red, and yes I do think there are mental issues with people who feel they are the 'wrong sex'.

If I felt I was born with the wrong hair colour and obessed/attempted suicide over it, you'd quite rightly think I wasn't all there in the head.

[Shar]

Absolutely disgraceful.

The money the NHS wasted, on this man's implants could of been spent on somebody's lifesaving cancer treatment. There is always stories, about victims of cancer who are denied the right to life saving drugs. Now we know where all the money is being wasted, on some man's cosmetic surgery.

So guys... if you live in Essex, and want a vital surgery being carried out. You know where the money's been wasted

This. Its horrific that so much money would be spent on this, where it could have been spent on a cancer treatment or lifesaving surgery.

[HotelUser]

So does this apply to all flat-chested women aswell then? why should we pay for somebody to enchance/fiddle around with their body parts when people are dying having been denied cancer treatments on the NHS? would you mind if somebody who was terminally ill in your family was denied life-extending drugs on the grounds of cost while people are having breast implants put in due to 'depression'? (which is a very vague term)

I somehow don't think you would.

If they're depressed and miserable being the gender they are and petty cash can solve all their problems and make them happy then I don't mind. There's not that much tax payer's money spent on gender reassignments as opposed to how much is spent on lazy fools leeching off the government for financial survival.

[Suspective]

They can use their own money, for their cosmetic surgery though. It isn't life saving. £60,000 has already been wasted. The NHS is in a huge debt.

The money which has been used, could of been put towards hospital improvements or put on a cancer sufferer's medicine.