The average wait time for transgender people from receiving a GP referral to receiving an initial appointment is 18 months.

NHS England said providers were “working to expand treatment teams and reduce waiting  times”.

The Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust: Gender Identity Clinic for Adults said there has been a rise of 55.25% in referrals made, with 295 in November 2017 compared to 163 in November 2016.

The clinic have blamed an “unprecedented increase” in the number of referrals for the increased wait time.

Ethan Evans, from Cornwall, is living in London, and visited a psychologist in 2015 after “fighting and suppressing” his feelings since the age of 10. He had to wait nearly two years to have his referral go through in 2017.

He said: “You’ve gone through the whole process of deciding that is what you are, you are transgender and then you have to wait a year and a half to two years for somebody else to go ‘yeah that’s right’.

“It has taken a toll psychologically on me. The wait is so long and it is literally a life or death thing.”

When asked about the impact of wait-times on the trans-community, Ethan added: “I know a few people in the trans-community who have taken their own lives because they couldn’t bare to wait that long”.

Ethan is now on a further waiting list. He wants to be able to enjoy the seaside, he has “not been to the beach since coming out as trans” after feeling too uncomfortable.

Tune into City News at 3:30 pm for the full interview with Ethan.

London news | Uncategorised