This story is absolutely true, and discussing it through the power of the web means that I cannot lie about this but have to tell the truth to avoid litigation.. If you have had an equally bad experience with a financial corporation please let me know by E-mailing me at:

In 1989 I took out a private health care policy through National Westminster Bank Plc, with a company that has three letters in its name (I leave this to your judgment!). The policy claimed to offer cover for pre-existing conditions after a 2 year subscription. This was clearly stated in its leaflets.

I checked with the insurance company concerned, and found that everything was OK and that they would cover a transsexual  terms for the main surgery. In effect their sales literature said that if anything goes wrong with the surgery, then after a two-year period they would cover Pre-existing conditions.

Everything was going wonderfully well until the Christmas of 1993. Whilst dancing at the firms Christmas party I felt something tear in my left groin. I ignored this for some time, until the pain got so bad I decided to seek professional advice.

I knew of two leading surgeons in the field of Gender re-assignment surgery. These surgeons Mr. James Dalrymple and Mr. Michael Royle were the best in their field. Using my own money I made an appointment to see Mr. Dalrymple who confirmed that the original gender surgery was at fault and it needed serious surgery to repair the damage, The diagnosis was to use a colovaginaplasty procedure.

An explanation of the Colovaginaplasty Procedure:

 Part of the patient's colon (sometimes the sigmoid colon) is used to create a new vaginal passage. The procedure was known to have some serious health risks and should not  be considered as a first option for gender reassignment surgery. Any patient who subjects themselves to a colovaginaplasty procedure may have to consider the possible side effects as a backdrop to their health in the female role. It is possible to experience some post-operative infections or complications with colovaginaplasty. It should be kept in mind that this operation is highly invasive.

The diagnosis was hard to believe, and I for one did not want believe it at first. There had to be an alternative reason for the pain, so I sought the help of from a HIV clinic. They ran their tests and found that I was free of infection. It was looking more and more as though I would have to go through more surgery, not my idea of the way to go forward and the objective was to avoid the truth rather than face it.

About June that year I booked an appointment to see Mr. Michael Royle, he concurred with the original findings, leaving me with only one option… colovaginaplasty. The idea really put the fear of God in my mind, as I knew people before me had near misses during and after the procedure e.g. they had nearly died due to serious infection. At this point I remembered the insurance policy and proceeded to evoke the moratorium clause. I submitted the papers to the insurance company and waited. Some weeks letter an impersonal letter arrives saying that the procedure could not be financed by the insurance company. I was incensed! I wrote back and enquired as to why they refused, apparently it was not in their schedule of procedures (does anyone know What  a schedule of procedures is?).

I reported this to Natwest and there response was to offer to lend me the money (with interest of course!) they then proceeded to wash their hands of the whole matter when I reminded them of their private healthcare plan. My evangelistic activities to seek funding went all the way to the chairman of the board of directors Lord Alexander. Dialogue was exchanged between Natwest and the insurance company, but they made no move to assist me in my hour of need, even though their clause stated cover after a two-year moratorium. Natwest did not want to know. The bank knew I was angry, especially having banked with them for over ten years, but they proved indifferent to the suffering even though the health insurance was sold through Natwest branches.

The bank took no interest (not their problem - we only sold the product!) and this thing called a schedule of procedures became like an X-files document which was very quickly becoming an enigma.  Apparently the Schedule of procedures is not provided to the paying customer "They wouldn't understand it 'cause its too technical", an insulting assumption by the health insurer.

As the years passed I was getting sicker, so my last ditched effort was to establish what the schedule of procedures is all about and to determine if I should attack the company concerned using my own meager resources. My GP's concern over my well-being saw her begin the process for NHS treatment. Under the then conservative government, the internal market system had created a situation where my local health authority had to fund my procedure through the NHS. The stupidity was that I had to go to see Mr. James Dalrymple yet again to confirm the same thing that we already knew - corrective surgery was needed.

The surgery would be done at the Charing Cross Hospital. Mr. Dalrymple examined me again and came to the
same conclusion, major surgery would be needed to sort me out. I did take legal action against the insurer and my solicitor stated that they (the insurance company) were in the wrong and should pay up. However it got so expensive that I had to give up the legal process  to seek compensation.

At this point the only way forward was to run a determined attack on the insurance company and all my focus was to bring the company in to disrepute. It took four years of constant direct mail from my little bedroom, targeting every advertisement this company placed. They could take me to court but they knew if they did, the truth would come out and they would have to admit defeat.

Finally, the local newspaper 'The South London Press' and Good Morning television picked up the story and the insurance company began to issue threats to shut me up. My appearance with Nick Owen and Ann Diamond on Good Morning Television resulted in a faxed threat to the BBC, meanwhile Natwest took a back seat hoping it would all blow over, they were wrong.

In 1994 Charring Cross Hospital made the arrangements for my admission to undergo the colovaginaplasty procedure, only on the day of admission someone forgot to book the anesthetist. The result was to use my direct marketing skills yet again, to bring about the surgery sooner rather than later. The effort proved successful so in August 1994 I was admitted to Charing Cross Hospital for the colovaginaplasty procedure. The male nurses were not too friendly but they had no perception as to what suffering had taken place before my arrival on the ward. The heat during that August was fierce, so arriving in my hospital room with air conditioning full on was a  welcome and comforting experience.

Eventually the health insurance company decided to cut their losses and offer an out of court settlement which I accepted. Natwest on the other hand still insisted it is not their problem, well perhaps there demise might make them think again. Whilst in hospital prior to undergoing the surgery, drugs were given to clear the colon and I promised myself at this very moment that if ever I escape this situation, my efforts will turn toward Natwest and bringing them to a point of taking some ownership about what had happened to me.

Thank God for the Southeast London Health Authority who funded my colovaginaplasty. After the procedure the experience became very distasteful. My whole digestive system seized up meaning that if I was not constantly monitored I would drown in my own natural secretions (heavy duty stuff!). Mr. Dalrymple did his post-op visit and told me in no uncertain terms that I was in a big mess down below. The surgery took seven hours. As though this is not enough two days post surgery my heart started to give trouble. I only knew this when the doors of my room flew open and a crash team arrived. The gave me an injection to bring the heart rate down and it was likened to being in a lift with the wires cut, within moments my heart was beating as regular as a clock.

The then conservative government hit me even harder due to the NHS internal market system. To explain further - Charing Cross Hospital told me that they had no more money in my budget to treat the heart condition and that I had to go to my own local hospital (Guy's) for them to investigate the cardiac problem. If I had been treated earlier the heart may have proved more stable, as it was the situation was becoming problematic and lengthy. The heart problem resulted in another two years of tests and drugs before any treatment was realised and only now does the situation seem to be resolved.

Natwest continue to send me direct mail at infrequent periods even though they are aware I have this burning issue with them. You cannot trust big institutions they only want your money then they want to run away, leaving the small customer in the brown stuff. They are not really interested in the customer. I hope the Royal Bank of Scotland does take over Natwest, perhaps Natwest will not be in such a hurry to shaft their customers.

IF you have a beef with Natwest let me know, collectively we can put together a plan that will make them realise the error of their ways. You can e-mail me at:: la-zarus@lineone.net. Your comments are welcome.