The United Kingdom’s National Health Service is considering a plan that would allow patients, including young children, to consult with a doctor about gender transition remotely via video conference services, according to the Daily Mail.
A clinic in the U.K. that evaluates patients for potential gender transition treatments has seen an increase in patient volume of more than 400 percent since 2013, resulting in a waiting list of about two years. More than 2,500 children were referred to the clinic just last year, including some 3- and 4-year olds.
In order to deal with the volume, the clinic is considering a plan for patients to be able to consult with a doctor using services such as Skype or Apple’s Facetime function, allowing doctors to diagnose and prescribe gender transition issues and treatments such as hormone therapy remotely.
The Daily Mail reported that the clinic has already faced criticism “from psychologists who say it uses untested drugs on troubled children and ‘rushes’ them toward becoming transgender.”