PTSD counselling plan for transgender people

COUNSELLING for posttraumatic stress should be offered to those struggling as a result of gender reassignment or illegal immigration, guidance for the NHS says.

The National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (Nice) said therapy should be offered to adults or children within one month of a “traumatic event”.

It said that symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were best tackled quickly. And the new draft guidance says a wide range of situations could trigger the disorder, including “gender reassignment, homelessness and illegal immigration”.

Around one quarter of people who suffer from a “catastrophic, frightening or stressful” event will go on to develop PTSD, Nice said. NHS treatments include one-to-one talking therapies, group therapies and consultations using text messages or video.