Voice lessons on the NHS

Speech therapy is available through the NHS without a diagnosis or referral to a gender clinic. This blog will go through the different routes of access, as these vary between regions.

A man wearing headphones and speaking into a phone, the screen of the phone shows a voice recording app — Photo by Soundtrap on Unsplash

Options in England, Northern Ireland and Scotland

You should find out what your NHS Trust Speech & Language Therapy (S&LT) referral process is. If they accept self referrals, specifying you have gender dysphoria and need vocal lessons to alleviate dysphoria should be sufficient, a diagnosis should not be required.

If they do not accept self referrals you may need to ask your GP to refer you to their service.

The S&LT service should be able to help you achieve your voice goals, however it is worth noting that these therapists do not always have experience working with trans patients.

Options in Wales

There is no access to S&LT for under 18s in Wales for gender affirmation.

For those 18 and over, you can either get a referral through your GP, the WGS (Welsh Gender Service) or dependent on your health board you may be able to self reffer.

Swansea bay have a specialised S&LT service for those seeking gender affirming S&LT. They accept self referrals.

Article content last updated: October 2024

Support us, Ethically sourced, handmade snake shed jewellery and more! Click Here to go to the store.